Repair works are under way after a burst pipe caused water to gush to a level up to three storeys high in Bukit Batok West on Tuesday night.

National water agency PUB said that it expects the repairs to be completed by tomorrow, even as an investigation into the cause of damage to the pipe has been launched.

When The Straits Times visited the junction of Bukit Batok West Avenue 6 and Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 yesterday morning, workers from PUB were pumping water from a pipe into a nearby canal.

The pavement nearby was covered by a thin layer of a reddish, mud-like substance.

The Straits Times understands that the ground near the burst pipe was excavated yesterday morning, and mud from the ground was heaped in a pile next to it.

Remaining water from the pipe was drained into the canal until around 8.30am.

PUB, in a Facebook post yesterday, said the damage affected one of its major pipes which supplies water to people living in Bukit Batok.

The faulty pipe was detected by PUB's sensors, and staff were immediately sent down, the agency said.

The pipe, which has a diameter of 70cm, was laid in 1982 and had no history of leaking.

Said the agency: "As this is one of the major pipes supplying water to customers in the Bukit Batok estate, PUB had to first carry out a series of valve operations to draw water from other unaffected water mains before shutting the valves to stop the leak. This is to ensure water supply to our customers in Bukit Batok is not affected. The leaking water main was isolated at 1.50am.

"As this water main is located 4m underground and near to other services/cables, we have to take necessary precautions in carrying out the excavation and subsequent repair works."

A lane along Bukit Batok West Avenue 6 heading towards Bukit Batok Avenue 1 has been closed to traffic to facilitate the repair works.

Bukit Batok resident Ong Ting Be, 63, told The Straits Times that the water was "like a waterfall... not just a narrow jet of water, but a whole expanse gushing out".

The retiree, who arrived at the scene at around 11pm and stayed till past midnight, said: "I came down to see it because I was curious. We all liked looking at it going up and down, like a fountain, shooting higher than the street lamp."

WATCH THE VIDEO

Pipe repairs under way. str.sg/49qx