Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong on Thursday said sensors will be installed by 2027 to monitor the change of water pressure in water mains.

Wong was speaking on an RTHK radio programme after a leak from a fresh water main temporarily closed parts of Tuen Mun Road and left residents without water earlier this week.

He said workers took 1.5 hours to repair the main.

The director said ground vibration due to vehicles passing nearby may have been one of the reasons for the main bursting, adding that installing sensors would help monitor the situation underground.

"The sensors will monitor the changes in pressure in real time. If there are any abnormal conditions, we can make detailed predictions in advance and solve the problem," he said.

On the same programme, Tuen Mun district councillor Chung Kin-fung praised the authorities for repairing the water main speedily and arranging water tanks for residents.

But he said there have been a few water pipe bursts in the district in the past few years and the government should expand the scope of regular checks.

"For example, they should not only check whether the leakage is normal, but also do inspections based on the age of a water main. They can also use technology to see which parts of a water main are vulnerable to damage," he said.

Following this week's burst, the Yuen Long-bound middle and fast lanes of Tuen Mun Road near Siu Hong MTR Station will be closed from 11pm on Thursday to 5.30am on Friday for resurfacing works.