Water supply disrupted for 3 hours in Yishun estate due to pump fault, 'brownish' water dispensed

Residents of Dew Spring estate in Yishun had their water supply cut off on Jun. 8 morning.

One resident who spoke to Mothership said there was no prior notice of the disruption and no explanation was subsequently provided.

Residents left in the dark

According to the resident, the disruption occurred at Block 455 Yishun Street 41 around 10:15am and lasted approximately three hours.

As the incident happened on a Sunday morning when "most residents were home", many of them were left "frantically" trying to figure out what had happened, the resident said.

The resident described how some gathered at the lift lobby to discuss the situation.

She said she called the PUB hotline at 10:30am and was told she would receive a callback, but did not receive any.

There were also no updates from the town council on its Facebook page, nor any communication from the relevant authorities, she claimed.

"The lack of accountability and communication brought immense frustration to some, as we had to bear with no water usage for around three hours," the resident shared.

'Brownish' water

The water supply resumed at around 1:35pm.

But residents found the water dispensed had a "brownish tinge" to it, though it was odourless, the resident noted.

While unsure of the cause, she expressed concern that the discoloured water could pose a health risk.

She also pointed out that there were no instructions issued advising residents to let the water run clear before use.

Fault in transfer pump

In response to Mothership's queries, Nee Soon Town Council said its essential maintenance service unit (EMSU) "responded promptly to reports of low water pressure" at 10:15am on Jun. 8.

The pump contractor was activated, the town council added.

They attributed the disruption to "a fault in the transfer pump", which affected its ability to pump water to the water tanks.

Common water taps at the void deck were made available as an interim measure.

Staff were on-site to support residents, as well as check that households have water supply and monitor the situation.

Full water supply was progressively restored and confirmed through door-to-door checks, the town council said.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Ensuring the well-being and convenience of our residents remains our top priority," they added.

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