Water supply in South Lantau has returned to normal after a burst water main left three villages without water for more than a day.

The pipe burst at around 6am Sunday morning, disrupting service to several hundred households in Cheung Sha, Tong Fuk and Shui Hau.

Water Supplies Department dispatched a team to the area and switched off all local water supply at 8am.  The team worked through the night to restore the service by 10am today, a spokesperson said.

The initial reports of loss of supply came from Cheung Sha, but the fault was eventually identified near Shui Hau. The cause of the failure is now being investigated, although it may have been an ageing pipe, the spokesperson added.

The department also sent four water wagons and 15 mobile water tanks to provide temporary supply to the villagers.