I would think it would be hard to manage with the flowing water but I never seems like it’s actually turned off.
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Well that would depend on where it happens. In most developed countries the water suplly lines and sewer lines are planned in advance in places where construction of new houses is authorized (or if it’s a new place you already know how many houses there are on each street). So you already know how many lots/houses you are required to connect to when you are laying out the sewer and water lines, and you build connection points for each. When a new house is built it already knows where to connect, and the builders prepare their plans so that the house’s pipes connect to the existing distribution lines.
As to the physical connection, it’s usually some kind of T valve that makes a “branch” connection that doesn’t impact the main flow. This valve is closed while there’s nothing connected to it. When a new house connects, the valve is opened and it can then access the main lines.
There is a process called “Hot tapping”, it uses specialized tools and fixtures to safely and (relatively) easily allow a new connection to be made to a pressurized water pipe. It was recently shown on an episode of This Old House. Sewer pipes aren’t usually under pressure where your home connects; it flows by gravity to a lift station. Here it’s chopped and pumped under pressure toward the sewage treatment plant.
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