Tampines residents report repeated water disruptions; town council says faulty valve fixed

After a nearly four-hour water outage at a Tampines HDB block on the evening of 18 October, a top-floor resident told Lianhe Zaobao (LHZB) journalists that she had experienced low water pressure or supply disruptions several times over the past month.

On one occasion, her shower suddenly ran dry before she could rinse the conditioner from her hair, leaving her in the bathroom making calls for help.

LHZB previously reported that the water supply to Block 952A at Tampines GreenGem was suddenly cut off at about 8pm on 18 October. Some residents were unable to shower and had no drinking water at home. Supply was restored only around midnight.

During a visit by a reporter last Thursday (22 October), residents on almost every floor said water pressure in their homes had been particularly low on the evening of 18 October.

Those interviewed on other floors said it was the first time they had experienced this since moving in, while residents on the top floor, the 17th, said the problem had been recurring recently.

A 33-year-old finance manager surnamed Li, who lives on the 17th floor, first reported a water pressure problem through OneService in January this year. She said the problem had become more frequent over the past month, with three instances of low water pressure on 27 September alone and several more since then.

According to Li, the situation was at its worst on 22 October. At 7am that day, the water flow was too weak for her to shower properly. She was also unable to prepare breakfast and had to order food delivery. She reported the problem several times, and her husband called the Public Utilities Board. Water pressure returned to normal at about 11.15am.

However, at about 4.45pm that day, the water suddenly stopped while Li was showering, leaving conditioner in her hair. Worried that dripping conditioner would make the floor slippery, she did not dare move around. Fortunately, she had taken her mobile phone into the bathroom and could call for help.

Li said water briefly flowed from the tap, but it was yellow and cloudy. She called the maintenance hotline and filed a report through OneService. Supply was restored only between 6pm and 6.30pm. She later had to wash her laundry again, and said stubborn white water stains also frequently appeared in her home.

She stressed, however, that the town council was usually able to resolve the problem within about an hour of a report. She was grateful to staff for carrying out repairs at all hours, but remained concerned about the frequent disruptions. She now keeps a bucket of water at home as a precaution.

Another 17th-floor resident, a 41-year-old civil servant surnamed Huang who declined to give her full name, said her flat had experienced low water pressure shortly after it was handed over in 2024. The town council explained at the time that foreign matter had blocked a pipe, and supply was quickly restored after repairs.

Huang said the problem had resurfaced over the past month, with an outage or low water pressure once every week or two on average, almost always between late afternoon and about 7pm.

“Although the town council has not given a specific reason, it has sent someone promptly to carry out repairs each time. Supply is generally restored the same evening, so it has not affected our daily lives much.”

In response to queries from LHZB, the Tampines Town Council said it immediately dispatched a maintenance team to inspect the relevant systems and equipment and identify the cause after receiving a report at about 8pm on 18 October. Its representatives also went to the block to speak to residents and offer assistance.

Maintenance workers flushed water pipes on several floors. Supply was then gradually restored, returning to normal around midnight, about four hours after the first report. About 20% of the block’s flats, spread across several floors, were affected.

The town council subsequently followed up with affected residents and traced the problem to a faulty solenoid valve, which has since been repaired.

“We thank residents for their prompt reports, as well as their patience and understanding during the water supply disruption.”