This is true, but it shuts off water right at the fixture (i.e. under your sink, behind your washer, etc.) This just takes it a step farther and allows the entire line to be shut off. If I want to shut off water to the hose bib on the north side of my house I can do so. I mainly plumbed it this way to have home runs to each fixture and eliminate all connections. It is continuous pipe from the manifold to the fixture.