The Ministry of Public Works is addressing a series of failures in some water mains used for top-up services.

It said that pipe disruptions resulted in the shutdown of the water supply along Middle Road through Flatts and North Shore Road in Hamilton Parish; Brighton Hill to South Shore Road in Devonshire; and on Verdmont Road in Smith’s.

The disruptions have affected government-owned water pipes serving residences and businesses in the area.

Rustico Restaurant and Pizzeria in Flatts Village confirmed that it had been buying the equivalent of about a $100 truck load of water every day for a month as a result of the government system being down.

One water trucking company said it was fortunate that the island had experienced significant rainfall, which had filled up tanks able to supply properties. But a business owner said some had only small tanks.

The ministry said: "Residents and businesses affected by these disruptions are encouraged to conserve water where possible and, if low, please contact private suppliers to supplement.

“The Ministry of Public Works is focused on ensuring the timely resolution of these water mains failures and will continue to provide updates as the situation progresses.”

It said that owing to “unforeseen circumstances and logistical issues resulting from the holiday season in both the private and public sectors” repairs may not be completed before January 15.

The ministry said customers had recently complained about the lack of water service but did not say when the problem began.

Michael Weeks, the Acting Minister of Public Works, said: "We understand the inconvenience and frustration caused by the disruption of water services in these areas.

“We assure the public that our teams are working to rectify these issues as swiftly and safely as possible."

Cazmiro Palha, the restaurant manager for Rustico, said the outlet had recently experienced issues related to the water system but that the situation was now “stable”.

He said: “It was an extra cost for us as we did have to pay for the extra water supply for about a month — every truck load was $100. We had to shell out extra money from the restaurant and did our best. It didn’t affect our customers as the water was pumped when the restaurant was closed.

“We complained to the Government as well. They responded and fixed it. They said there were issues with the pipeline near the Post Office.”

Michael Lightbourne, the owner and manager of Brightside Guest Apartments in Flatts, said he had not had any problems but was mindful that tank water “doesn’t last for ever”.

He said: “It’s slightly concerning. Rain does seem to be coming still, but I’m always mindful of water as it’s a precious commodity.”

He said that Rustico and Village Pantry both had limited tank capacity.

A manager at John Barritt’s Water Services Island Water Company said he had not seen an increase in orders from households but that there was an increase from restaurants in Flatts, including Village Pantry.

Andrew Henderson, the operations assistant at Bermuda Waterworks, said the company only piped water to properties from Devonshire out to the West End while the Government piped water to the east.

He said: “We do get calls often about the problems with piped water in the eastern section and we forward them on to the Government.”

The Ministry of Public Works said that it had “received concerns and complaints” regarding this issue.

“While these instances have impacted residents and businesses, it's important to clarify that the affected service is a top-up service and not an essential water supply,” it said.

“We assure the public that efforts are under way to rectify these issues as soon as possible.

“We understand the inconvenience caused and apologise for any disruption experienced.”