Some restaurant operators and residents have expressed disappointment after the fresh water supply in Hong Kong’s Eastern district was not restored as promised by 6am on Monday after more than a day of disruption, with many forced to fetch water from wagons amid heavy rain.

It advised those whose water appeared milky white to remove the tap strainer, run the water for a few minutes, and then reinstall it once the water was clear, allowing air bubbles to dissipate. The department said this was a “normal” process.

Authorities had earlier promised to restore the water supply by 6am on Monday, 24 hours after the disruption began, which affected about 10,000 households in the two neighbourhoods.

The department said that its engineering team had identified a leak at a pipe joint shortly after the water supply was briefly restored on Monday morning, prompting another suspension. It pledged to complete repairs by noon.

It added that adverse weather and the presence of other underground pipes beside the affected water main had made repairs more difficult and delayed the process.