Last night, the residents of Bukit Batok West were treated to a wonderful spectacle: a three-storey high column of water fiercely shooting out from the ground at a traffic junction.
The Public Utilities Board (PUB) first received reports of a “pipe leak” at the junction of Bukit Batok West Avenue 6 and Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 at 9:53pm, and quickly deployed officers and repair contractors to the scene. Channel NewsAsia reporters at the scene yesterday noted that the force of the water seemed to have taken down a traffic light near the burst pipe. Meanwhile, vehicles passing by the geyser of water got a free wash.
Watch out YISHUN!! BUKIT BATOK “BURSTING” onto the scene!!! pic.twitter.com/SWyOevKxZR
— Muhd Aizat (@MisterAiz) September 26, 2017
The cause has since been attributed to a leak on an underground water main, measuring 700mm in diameter. According to the PUB, the leaky pipe is one of the major ones supplying water to residents in the Bukit Batok estate, and it took until 1:50am for it to be properly isolated without affecting the supply.
With the pipe located four metres underground — and situated near other services and cables —repair works are only expected to be done by Friday due to the necessary precautions taken.
Fun fact: the pipe itself was laid in 1982, and this is the first time it has leaked.
