The burst water main which has caused water supplies to be disrupted in Baldock and Letchworth today could be fixed this evening, according to the supplier.

Many houses in both towns were left without any water today after a water main burst at Baldock’s Weston Hills storage reservoir.

The area surrounding the main pipe quickly became submerged under three metres of water which meant finding it and beginning the repair has taken longer than expected.

Supplier Affinity Water has been handing out the bottles on a grass verge beside London Road – postcode SG7 6NA – and in the car park at Knights Templar Sports Centre in Weston Way, postcode SG7 6EY.

Water bottles are now also being given out at the Tesco Extra store in Baldock High Street and Letchworth Outdoor Pool in Icknield Way.

An Affinity Water spokesperson said this evening: “We have dug down four metres, exposed our pipework and found the burst main.

“We have the equipment available to make the repair and we are now making the excavated area safe so we can begin our repair, which we are hoping to complete this evening.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience caused and we would like to thank our customers for their continued patience.”

Updates about the shortages can be found at www.affinitywater.co.uk/where-we-are-working.aspx?wID=3691.