Bright yellow tags placed on water meters across Adelaide are not official and people should not follow their directions to ring a plumber, SA Water has warned.
The tags have appeared on meters and reportedly hot water systems on private property, stating in bold black lettering "Emergency turn-off valve" and suggesting people ring a particular business if they had plumbing issues.
SA Water customer field services senior manager Colin Bell said the tags had been placed by a "third party" to "basically indicate there could be a fault with the tap or the water meter and to request the property owner contact that phone number".
He said the meters were SA Water's responsibility to maintain and the business referenced on the tags had not been approved to undertake work on its behalf and was not associated with the utility.
"We've obviously got a company out there looking for work, but it's really about our customers and we want to make them aware that if they do find one of these tags, they should contact SA Water," Mr Bell said.
"It's not SA Water who is soliciting this and we are investigating with Consumer and Business Affairs."
SA Water's Facebook post, however, has received responses from members of the public who said it was simply misinterpreted advertising that highlighted where emergency turn-off valves were located.
Mark, a plumber, told ABC Radio Adelaide that a customer called him because they had no water, and when he arrived he found the water meter turned off and one of the yellow tags on it.
