HONG KONG – Water supply to the Shau Kei Wan area has been gradually restored as of late Monday morning following a prolonged disruption that lasted over a day due to a damaged underground pipe, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) confirmed.
The incident, which began on Sunday, affected approximately 10,000 households and businesses across several areas in Shau Kei Wan.
WSD initially traced the cause to a leak in the freshwater pipe near the Shau Kei Wan tram tracks. The leak was particularly difficult to locate because the water did not surface. Instead, it flowed underground through stormwater drains, the department’s chief engineer Lin Tang-tai told RTHK.
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Repair work was initially expected to be completed by 6 am on Monday. However, it was delayed after a secondary leak was discovered at a pipe joint near other underground facilities.
The repair work was eventually completed around noon, with water supply gradually resuming in affected areas from 11 am, according to WSD’s Facebook post “Water Save Dave.”
Some areas at higher elevations, such as Ming Wah Dai Ha, or those at the end of the supply network, such as parts of Kam Wa Street, may take an additional one to two hours to fully restore service.
“In the early stage of water supply restoration, the Department will continue to provide appropriate assistance to citizens and businesses in need, including deploying additional personnel to deliver drinking water to restaurants in the affected area,” reads the post.
WSD also noted that the water may appear milky white or slightly turbid at first due to trapped air, which is normal. Users are advised to remove faucet filters and let the water run for a few minutes until it clears. Alternatively, water can be left to stand in a container until the air bubbles dissipate.