The enforced cut had been in place since a water main along the Sungai Perai riverbed burst on Tuesday.

Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) said that about 70% of the 120,000 affected customers on the island’s southwest district will have their water supply restored by 2pm.

It added that it was slowly increasing the pressure to the repaired pipe to ensure it does not burst again.

PBAPP said the cause of the problem was a major water main on the Sungai Perai riverbed that had burst on Tuesday. It burst again on Wednesday.

The main is one of two pipes channelling treated water to Seberang Perai North, and the southern and western parts of the island. A secondary main from Seberang Perai continues to supply the remaining areas of the island.

PBAPP today said the restoration would begin slowly from Bukit Dumbar southward. The hill’s reservoir stores treated water from the mainland and supplies the southern reaches of the island.

“An emergency response fleet of water tankers from other states has been deployed to areas without water,” it said.