corporation stop: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowSpecialist / Technical (Plumbing, Civil Engineering, Municipal Services)
Quick answer
What does “corporation stop” mean?
A water shutoff valve where a building's private supply pipe connects to the public water main.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A water shutoff valve where a building's private supply pipe connects to the public water main; owned and operated by the water authority.
A valve, typically located at the boundary of a property (often under the pavement/road), used by utility companies to control the water supply to an individual property from the public main. Its access is legally restricted.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Term is used in both, but 'corporation' refers to the municipal water authority (UK historical: 'the Corporation'). In US, might also be called a 'curb stop' or 'curb valve'.
Connotations
Technical/administrative connotation. Implies utility company jurisdiction and property boundary.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, familiar primarily to tradespeople (plumbers), utility workers, and property developers.
Grammar
How to Use “corporation stop” in a Sentence
The [plumber/utility] [verb: turned off, located, repaired] the corporation stop.A [new, faulty] corporation stop was [verb: installed, replaced].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “corporation stop” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The water board will need to corporation-stop the supply to effect the repair.
American English
- The city utilities department had to corporation-stop the line due to a major leak.
adjective
British English
- The corporation-stop valve was seized shut.
American English
- We located the corporation-stop access cover under the sidewalk.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in property development contracts or utility service agreements.
Academic
Used in civil engineering, urban planning, or public health contexts regarding water infrastructure.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A homeowner would say 'the outside water valve' or 'the one by the road'.
Technical
Standard, precise term in plumbing, municipal works, and building regulations.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “corporation stop”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “corporation stop”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “corporation stop”
- Using 'corporation stop' to refer to a company ceasing operations.
- Confusing it with an internal 'stopcock' inside the property.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun (not usually necessary).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A stopcock is usually inside the property (e.g., under the kitchen sink) and is the homeowner's responsibility. A corporation stop is at the property boundary and is owned/controlled by the water utility.
Typically, no. It is legally the utility's valve. You must use your internal stopcock to turn off your water. The corporation stop is used by utility workers for major work or if your internal valve fails.
The term dates from when municipal water supplies were managed by a local government body known as 'the Corporation' (e.g., the Corporation of London). The valve was where the Corporation's responsibility stopped.
Almost every property connected to a public water main will have one, though it may be buried and not immediately visible. Its location is usually indicated on property deeds or utility plans.
A water shutoff valve where a building's private supply pipe connects to the public water main.
Corporation stop is usually specialist / technical (plumbing, civil engineering, municipal services) in register.
Corporation stop: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɔː.pəˈreɪ.ʃən stɒp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɔːr.pəˈreɪ.ʃən stɑːp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: The WATER CORPORATION (company) can STOP your water here, at the property line.
Conceptual Metaphor
BOUNDARY AS CONTROL POINT (The valve marks and controls the transition from public domain to private property.)
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'corporation stop' primarily associated with?