A leak has started to drip through your neighbor’s ceiling. He calls someone to “close the water” as he has no time to look for the valves. The problem is that you are abroad, the keys to your apartment are with someone else and you have no recollection of where the main water shut-off valve is located.

The time from the first drop of water falling to someone actually managing to switch off the main water valve is what makes a small problem a big repair job. When you are abroad most of the time, this time span just gets longer.

Quick answer: Where is the main water valve?

  • Your apartment’s main shut-off valve may be inside the apartment, near the entrance, kitchen or bathroom, or in a utility cabinet or service shaft outside it. There may also be a shut-off near the meter. Do not assume it is inside the flat.
  • Building valves are usually in common areas, such as the basement, boiler room, ground-floor pilotis or a room with water meters. These can control the entire building or several apartments. Ask the building manager to identify them.
  • The EYDAP water meter may be in a pavement pit, called a freatio, or in a meter cabinet. The pit and the meter are different things.
  • EYDAP’s 24-hour line for water-supply damage or faults is 1022. From abroad, call +30 210 214 4444. eydap.gr

This guide is aimed at owners identifying the water controls for their own apartment or house. If water is leaking from a neighbor above, see water leaking from the apartment above.

Where is the water shut-off valve in a Greek apartment?

The position of the main water shut-off valve for a Greek apartment will vary from a new flat to an old one. You may need to look in several locations.

  • Inside the flat, near the entrance or kitchen: The general valve on the pipe where the supply enters the apartment. This is the one most owners need.
  • In the bathroom or WC: Behind an access panel, in a tiled hatch or in a cupboard.
  • In a service shaft or utility room: This may be in a common area and may even be locked.
  • Near the water meter: Ask the building manager or plumber to identify the valve serving your apartment.
  • Next to the water heater: Usually there is an isolation valve for the cold water supply to the heater itself, which turns off the water supply to the heater only.
  • Under sinks and behind toilets: There are small “angle” valves which control individual taps or toilet installations, not the whole flat.

What is the difference between the flat valve and the building valve?

In a polykatoikia, a Greek apartment building, there are two types of control:

  1. Your flat’s valve: This will stop the water supply to your flat only.
  2. The building valves: These control the water supply to the entire building or to a shared riser serving several apartments. In most cases, these valves are located in the basement, boiler room, pilotis, the open ground-floor area, or meter room.

Some buildings have separate water meters for each apartment while others are connected to a single supply which is then billed through the building’s common expenses, or koinoxrista. It is best to confirm with the building manager which applies to you.

Note, however, that switching off the supply at the flat’s main valve will not stop a leak on a shared pipe upstream of that valve. Issues concerning repair responsibility for such a pipe are addressed in our guide to who pays for shared pipe repairs.

How do I identify my water meter?

In the Athens area, water supply is generally the responsibility of EYDAP, the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company. Elsewhere, the provider may be a municipal water company, known as a DEYA, or another local provider, so arrangements can be different.

To identify your meter:

  • Look at a recent water bill for the supply number and meter details.
  • Check the pavement outside your building for a meter-pit cover, or look for a meter cabinet.
  • Ask the building manager which meter serves your flat.
  • If you cannot tell, do not guess.

Where meters are wall-mounted, the cabinet may provide access to the meter and associated valve. EYDAP has also published short “Learn how” videos explaining practical checks, including how to check for a possible leak.

Two important points are often not given due consideration by owners:

  • Internal plumbing is the owner’s responsibility. EYDAP’s water-supply regulations distinguish its installations from the property’s internal plumbing, whose construction and maintenance are the owner’s responsibility. A leak near the meter should be reported so the responsible section can be identified. eydap.gr
  • Keep the meter accessible. Do not cover the pit or obstruct the cabinet. If access is blocked, contact EYDAP about restoring access and obtaining a reading.

For a basic leak check, leave the supply on, close all taps and make sure toilets, appliances and other water-using equipment have stopped drawing water. If your individual meter continues registering consumption, there may be a leak and a competent plumber should investigate. A shared building meter cannot identify a leak in your flat alone. eydap.gr

During an active leak, shut off the relevant supply first rather than leaving it running to perform this check.

What should I label before I leave?

While a label may cost almost nothing and take only a few minutes to put up, it may save you lots of time in the long run.

  • Label the valves: Use a durable tag identifying their functions, such as “Apartment main” or “Water heater”.
  • Take photos: Photograph each valve close up, then take a wider shot showing where it is in the room.
  • Make a one-page map: Mark your main valve, any individual isolation valves, the relevant exterior valve, the meter pit or cabinet and the electrical panel.
  • Share it: Keep one copy with your building manager and one with whoever holds your keys.
  • Test the valves: Confirm that your apartment’s valve works before you leave. Ask a plumber to check any valve that is stiff, leaking or unfamiliar.

When should I turn the water off?

Close your flat’s main valve in these cases:

  • An active leak: Close the main valve of your flat in case of overflowing water from a pipe, fitting or water heater, provided you can reach it safely. Then arrange investigation of the source.
  • Frozen or burst pipes: Greek Civil Protection guidance advises closing the home’s main water valve and calling a plumber. If the meter continues registering water after the valve is closed, the leak or faulty isolation needs investigation. Do not use an open flame to thaw pipes. civilprotection.gov.gr
  • Before plumbing work: For example, before replacing a shower mixer, toilet cistern or water heater, ensure the relevant water supply is turned off first.

Many homeowners also choose to switch off the water supply before leaving their home for extended periods to prevent damage from hidden leaks.

  • Check your insurance conditions: Look for requirements concerning shut-off and unoccupied periods. We outline what to look for in our Greek home insurance guide.
  • Solar water heaters: Ask a qualified technician how your particular system should be left during a long absence, including frost protection, any necessary draining and electrical isolation. Do not drain the system without following its manufacturer’s instructions, and never switch on the electric element with an empty tank. Read more about solar water heater maintenance in Greece. www.pyramis.gr
  • Restoring the supply: If the valve is outside your flat or in a locked area, arrange access so it can be reopened when you return.

What should I not touch?

Not every valve is yours.

  • The meter and its fittings: Leave seals, connections and the meter assembly to EYDAP. Do not interfere with a sealed or utility-operated shut-off.
  • Building control valves and shared-riser valves: Coordinate with the building manager or authorised plumber, as these affect neighboring apartments.
  • A stuck valve: It is easy to break an old valve, and an open pipe can cause lots of problems. Do not force it; call a plumber.
  • The solar heater circuit: Leave draining, fluid changes and other technical work to a qualified technician.

Who can reach the valve in an emergency?

Labels on valves mean nothing if no one has access to them. In most cases, the person who is away from home for extended periods is different from the neighbor or representative who has a key to the flat.

Think through the chain before it matters:

  • Who holds a key to the affected area, and when are they available? Establish what happens if they cannot attend at night or while away.
  • Does the keyholder know which valve to close? Forward photographs and a map of the location, marking the relevant valves.
  • Is the building manager able to reach the valve? Typically, the building manager does not hold keys to individual apartments.
  • Who is authorised to arrange repairs, and who will pay? Prevent surprise repair bills by coordinating repairs to your property in Athens while you are abroad.
  • Who will report a problem with the main water supply? Call EYDAP’s 24-hour service on 1022, or +30 210 214 4444 from abroad. Καθαρό νερό

If you experience a flood in your Athens home, the initial steps are outlined in what to do if your Athens home is flooded.

It is quite frequent for the flat to have a valve, but who knows which handle does what? Therefore, a simple labelled photo of all the valves, sent to the person holding the keys to the flat, is much more useful than most owners would expect.

Yanis, Founder of Home Watch Athens

How Home Watch Athens can help

Home Watch Athens is a founder-led, members-only property oversight service for people who own an apartment or holiday home in Athens but live abroad. Yanis is the only person at Home Watch Athens who holds your keys and carries out your property visits.

The monthly visit usually takes 45–60 minutes and follows a checklist of tasks. Members receive photos via WhatsApp, and the visit is logged in their personal account. A list of what we check during each visit is available on the home watch checklist page.

If an urgent problem such as a sudden leak is reported, we can help coordinate a response. Attendance is subject to availability, and an immediate response is not guaranteed. Repair work is quoted separately and requires your written approval through our maintenance and technical oversight service.

Between visits, members can request an emergency property check. For more information about our service for empty apartments and holiday homes, see property management in Athens. We do not manage short-term rentals.