27th October 2026 – (Hong Kong) A burst underground water main at a Highways Department roadside site outside 318 Shau Kei Wan Road sent torrents of muddy water across two westbound lanes and pavements at about 10.00am, splashing lower floors of nearby buildings. An upstairs care home’s window shattered under the force, and glass fragments injured an elderly woman in the leg. Footage shared online showed a powerful geyser and extensive street flooding that disrupted traffic and affected multiple shops, with a section of footpath cordoned off.
By around 12.00pm, a Water Supplies Department tanker had arrived and the department issued a suspension notice. The Highways Department said its contractor was carrying out routine road maintenance and, after starting barricading and excavation shortly after 10.00am, discovered the rupture at about 10.30am, immediately notifying the Water Supplies Department. Officials apologised for the disruption and said staff are fully coordinating repairs while investigating the cause.
The Water Supplies Department said it received reports from the Highways Department and the public at about 10.40am and swiftly shut valves, completing isolation at around 12.00pm. The damaged main is a cast‑iron pipe of 18 inches in diameter supplying the Shau Kei Wan area. Working with the Highways Department, the authority has deployed more than 10 water trucks, over 100 water tanks and roughly ten thousand bottles of drinking water to provide temporary supply. The outage area covers Shau Kei Wan and parts of Sai Wan Ho, affecting more than 10,000 households. Repair crews have begun work and, subject to conditions on site, the target is to restore supply before midnight, with efforts to bring forward the timetable where possible.
Preliminary checks indicate the pipe, which is over 30 years old, was likely damaged by external force during excavation rather than by age‑related failure. Visible damage is at least one metre in length and, given the brittle material, could extend further. Authorities noted the contractor had reviewed plans and conducted detection sweeps before works, and a detailed investigation and report will follow.
