Hong Kong water pipe leak leaves thousands of homes dry during winter solstice
Repairs continue after a burst pipe on San Wan Road in Sheung Shui leaves thousands without water and gatherings disrupted
Thousands of homes and 34 shopping centre tenants in a northern Hong Kong district were left without fresh water on Sunday during one of the most important family-gathering festivals, as authorities apologised and rushed to restore the supply.
The Water Supplies Department said in the early afternoon that the supply to the single-block On Shing Court, Tin Ping Shopping Centre and three residential towers of Tin Ping Estate in Sheung Shui had been suspended because of a leak in a 400mm-diameter pipe on San Wan Road.
The department added that Luen Wo Hui, a market town east of Fanling, and the Tsui Lai Garden estate in Sheung Shui with 2,012 flats across six blocks would experience weak water flow as the supply had been diverted for repairs.
It said around 5pm that the freshwater supply to Luen Wo Hui and Tsui Lai Garden had returned to normal, while Tin Ming House was also affected.
The department said it had deployed an emergency response team to the scene and provided temporary supplies to affected users. It said repairs were complicated by dense underground utilities and because the damaged pipe was encased in concrete.