Tuen Mun hit by third water main burst in a week

Tuen Mun district was struck by its third water pipe rupture within a week, as dual pipe failures on Sam Shing Street disrupted water supplies to public housing estates and seafood restaurants on Monday morning.

The latest incident follows similar bursts near Siu Hong Station on May 27 and Waldorf Garden Shopping Centre on May 30, raising concerns about the district's aging water infrastructure.

The Water Supplies Department confirmed that the incident involved simultaneous leaks in a 150mm saltwater pipe and a 250mm freshwater main serving the Sam Shing Street neighborhood.

To minimize disruption in the area, authorities have scheduled repair work to begin after 11pm, with water suspension expected to last until approximately 7am the following day.

While freshwater supplies will remain available until the nighttime shutdown, the department has already suspended the provision of seawater used for toilet flushing.

Temporary water tanks are being deployed to the affected areas, with officials apologizing for the inconvenience and promising a swift completion of repairs.

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk Sun expressed deep concerns about the unusual occurrence of concurrent saltwater and freshwater pipe failures, describing the situation as "deeply concerning" and demanding urgent explanations from the government regarding the integrity of Tuen Mun's water infrastructure.

Local councilor Li Chiu-hung has advised residents to prepare for the overnight outage by storing essential water supplies. 

He also cautioned that the water might initially be murky when service resumes in the morning, recommending that residents should briefly run their taps to clear any sediment before use.