The disruptions have posed a particular challenge for parents with schoolgoing children, many of whom have had to queue at water tankers with basins and containers to collect their daily supply.

Some residents have resorted to purchasing bottled water for bathing, cooking and drinking.

In a statement on Jan 8, the Labuan Water Department said the disruption was caused by earth movements at a slope at Bukit Besar which forced apart both the inlet and outlet 800mm pipes, causing major leaks.

In an update on Jan 10, the department said that repair works were suspended due to persistent rainfall and landslides, and would resume only when the weather permitted.

The situation was compounded by a second pipe failure on Jan 13 at Pulau Buah, which has affected the raw water supply.

As of 6.50am today, repairs at the site were 65% complete, with progress slowed by continued bad weather.

In response to the prolonged crisis, the Labuan Water Department and Labuan Corporation have deployed water tankers to the affected areas.

The department also said that it was closely monitoring the situation and would provide further updates, urging consumers to conserve water until full supply is restored.