Any person who may be supplied with water by means of a branch connected with a private pipe shall have a sufficient stopcock affixed to such branch as near as possible to the private pipe so as to stop the flow of water through the branch when necessary without interrupting the supply to the other persons having a right to use the pipe with which such connection may be formed. Every person who may be supplied with water from a private pipe having a branch connected therewith shall also have a sufficient stopcock affixed to the private pipe above such branch for the purpose aforesaid. (Code 1953, § 21.21.)