SINGAPORE - Water supply was restored to a Tampines Housing & Development Board block on Monday (Sept 19) afternoon after it was cut off for nearly two days.

A resident noticed a water leak on the surface of the road near Block 508, Tampines Central 1, on Saturday afternoon, a spokesman for the Tampines Town Council told The Straits Times.

Some homes had intermittent disruption to their water supply that afternoon as the town council's contractor and officers investigated the source of the leak.

Water supply was temporarily restored at 7pm on Saturday, said the town council in a Facebook statement on Sunday.

But on Sunday, while carrying out further pipe rectification works, the gas pipe was also damaged.

Due to concerns that the gas would enter the water supply, the four-storey block had to go without water as the supply was cut off while more repairs were made. A total of 48 flats were affected, the town council said.

SP Services was notified and the gas supply was restored by about 3pm on Sunday. Restoring the water supply was "trickier", said the spokesman.

Meanwhile, the town council set up five water points at the ground floor of Block 508 where residents could draw water.

"Our team helped residents push the water to their homes if they needed help," the spokesman said. "Officers also went door to door to inform them."

A resident told Lianhe Wanbao that she boiled water with a kettle so that her mother, who is 86, could bathe.

Another resident said she spent the morning collecting water as her daughter-in-law was returning from the hospital after giving birth.

The water supply was restored at about 1.40pm, the spokesman added. The cause of the initial leak from an underground water pipe is still under investigation.

"We would like to thank Block 508 residents for your patience and cooperation. The water supply has been restored. Once again, we apologise for any inconvenience caused," the town council updated on Facebook at around 2pm on Monday.