Residents spot discoloured water at Sin Ming condominium after pipe leak: PUB
The discoloured water was likely due to resuspension of mineral sediments in the water pipe network due to the leak, said PUB.
Road works being conducted outside Flame Tree Park condominium on Jan 02, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
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SINGAPORE: Some residents at Flame Tree Park condominium in Sin Ming experienced discoloured water coming from their taps on Thursday (Jan 1) after a nearby pipe leak.
National water agency PUB said it was alerted to the pipe leak near the junction of Sin Ming Avenue and Upper Thomson Road at about 9am.
“We immediately deployed our service crew on site to trace the source of the leak and commence repair works. Water supply to homes and businesses in the vicinity was not affected,” the agency told CNA.
The discoloured water that residents experienced was likely due to resuspension of mineral sediments in the water pipe network due to the leak, PUB said.
Repair works are ongoing and are expected to be completed by Friday, the agency added.
PUB deployed a water wagon to the condominium, and water bags were distributed to provide temporary supply to affected residents.
Flame Tree Park’s managing agent also carried out flushing of the condominium’s water pipes and tanks, PUB said.
When CNA visited the condominium on Friday morning, a lane in the centre of Upper Thomson Road was blocked off for works.
Water from the works at the junction of Upper Thomson Road and Sin Ming Avenue could be seen flowing into the adjacent Venus Drive.
Residents told CNA that their water supply returned to normal on Friday morning.
Long-time resident Valerie Valberg-Yeoh, 69, had noticed water puddling at the junction of Sin Ming Avenue and Upper Thomson Road from Wednesday night.
She said her husband then noticed slight discolouration in their tap water on Thursday, while her children noticed brownish water in the toilet bowl.
The family later found out about the leakage from a notice at the lift lobby, informing residents of the deployment of a PUB water wagon to collect drinking water.
Residents were told that the water wagon would be parked at the car park until 12am on Friday, and that the rooftop tank water was being flushed out. It added that after 8.30pm, residents could turn on the tap for five to 10 minutes to clear the water.
Mrs Valberg-Yeoh said her family took two 5L-water bags to drink, rewash their plates and brush their teeth.
The retiree added that the water was clear when the family got up on Friday morning, and that the PUB water wagon had left by then.
Domestic helper Cherry Ferrer, 47, added that workers had come to her employer's house on Thursday night to run the taps and conduct tests on the water.
Fellow resident Mrs Yeo said the water discolouration was "very significant" on Thursday when viewed against the toilet bowl.
"We are very worried because it may cause a sinkhole," the 58-year-old manager said.
PUB is investigating the cause of the pipe leak.
Additional reporting by Koh Wan Ting.
