i noticed that the shut off coming from the street to the meter was leaking so i tighten the nut but i then noticed it cracked.. now if i shut the valve off coming from the street into the house and then take the wheel off and then the nut.. can i replace the nut and put back on the wheel with out any issues? not sure about this..

also you can notice that there is alot of rust on the bottom of the pipes coming into the house.. do i have to call the water department to fix this? and do they charge for this ?

about 99% of those valves can have the packing nut removed so the packing can be replaced. the worst that will happen is some water will leak out while the work is being done.
make sure to put the valve into the closed position before removing the nut.
you will need the exact same nut as they are not 'one size fits all'..
post a picture and someone can identify the make to get you started.

The water department may NOT be pleased with you, because that is usually THEIR valve and they do NOT like people working in it, especially when they break it. Call them to fix it, because it is highly unlikely you wil ever find the proper packing nut to fix the problem.

"Call them to fix it"...
hj, you are talking about massachusetts not nirvana..
the municipalities around here will only ( at no cost) replace or repair the water meter. unless it was damaged by a freeze up in which case you have to pay.
the homeowner owns everything else, lock, stock and barrel.
all the way back to the corporation stop in the street.
and, if you need your water service replaced, you must pay for the digging of the road and sidewalk , the police detail ( time and 1/2), repair of the road and sidewalk, an inspection of the road and sidewalk repair 6 weeks after completion to make sure it hasn't settled and if it has settled you must pay to have it re-done (plus the police detail).
oh, don't forget permit fees..

Oh yesl I forgo that this is MA where all extra funds have to go towards paying for all the public works "boondoggles" and their repairs, (and possible public officials vacations etc).

are you insinuating that MA politicians are corrupt ?
if they were corrupt, they would not be re-elected time after time ad-infinitum..
once elected, the only way they leave office is in a pine box.

i just wanted to make sure i read this correctly.. so i have to pay for them to fix the valve?

can anyone tell me what the nut i need to replace on the broken valve?



Edited 1 times.

you either fix it yourself or pay someone to fix it.
post a picture of the cracked packing nut and valve body. it may be a common valve with parts available.
heck, i might even have one in my stash downstairs. i'd be happy to stick in in an envelope an send it to you. for free of course..

i saw the pictures.
my oh my.. that is a strange valve. i don't recognize the manufacturer. sorry..
but (and i don't want to scare you) your piping is not very good at all. that is a repair sleeve right below the valve. that means that a long time ago someone cut the water service as it enters the house and patched it with that sleeve and a new piece of galvanized pipe along with that shutoff.
left alone it will last a good many years but if someone tries any kind of replacement of that valve, i would be afraid of that rusted sleeve leaking. you have a delicate situation there so just be very careful..
what you have there is something like this..

If they are corrupt, and is there any doubt about that since they are politicians, they buy their reelections with "entitlements", and the voters who get them are afraid to "unelect" them because they are afraid they will lose the entitlements and have to go to work.

WE cannot tell from the picture, but if the packing nut is broken the only thing that will replace it one from another valve EXACTLY like that one, which is probably not going to happen.

Sorry, no help with the valve, but the ground wire clamp that is right below the valve should be on the street side of the repair coupling and be suitable for direct burial. I don't know how good of a connection can be made to the buried pipe, but the coupling is isolating the desired electrical path.