Engineering English
Water Main
Environmental Engineering · Civil Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A large-diameter pipe that conveys potable water from treatment plants or storage reservoirs to smaller distribution pipes serving individual properties.
Example in context
“A break in the 36-inch water main disrupted supply to the entire district and required emergency repair crews.”
“36 inçlik ana su borusundaki bir kırık tüm bölgeye su tedarikini kesintiye uğrattı ve acil onarım ekipleri gerektirdi.”
Where engineers use it
Water main installation and repair are core tasks in distribution; engineers use hydraulic models to size mains and plan isolations for maintenance.
Synonyms: transmission main, primary feeder, trunk main
Antonyms: service line, lateral
In Civil Engineering
A principal pipe in a distribution network that conveys potable water under pressure from treatment plants or reservoirs to smaller service lines.
“A burst water main flooded the intersection overnight, so the utility isolated the section with valves and repaired the cast-iron pipe.”
Practice: can you use “Water Main” at work?
A 12-inch water main has developed a leak near a busy intersection; you must plan a shutdown that minimizes disruption and maintains fire flow.
Show a model answer
“Locate the isolation valves upstream of the ruptured water main before dispatching the crew.”
“Water Main” in 21 languages
| English | Water Main |
|---|---|
| Turkish | ana su borusu |
| French | conduite principale d'eau |
| German | Wasserhauptleitung |
| Spanish | tubería principal de agua |
| Chinese | 总水管 |
| Arabic | الأنبوب الرئيسي للمياه |
| Portuguese | tubulação principal de água |
| Russian | магистральный водопровод |
| Japanese | 水道本管 |
| Italian | tubatura principale dell'acqua |
| Vietnamese | ống nước chính |
| Hindi | मुख्य जल पाइप |
| Thai | ท่อประปาหลัก |
| Indonesian | pipa utama air |
| Korean | 상수도 본관 |
| Bengali | প্রধান জল পাইপ |
| Dutch | hoofdwaterleiding |
| Swedish | huvudvattenledning |
| Finnish | päävesijohto |
| Ukrainian | магістральний водопровід |
Frequently asked questions
What does Water Main mean in engineering?
A large-diameter pipe that conveys potable water from treatment plants or storage reservoirs to smaller distribution pipes serving individual properties. In Environmental Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Water Main?
Water Main is pronounced /ˈwɔː.tər meɪn/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Water Main used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “A break in the 36-inch water main disrupted supply to the entire district and required emergency repair crews.”
This entry is one of 7,806 terms in the Engineering English iOS app — with quizzes, spaced repetition and pronunciation checking.
Get the app on the App Store