Thousands of Merseyside homes are currently without water and a section of a major road is flooded after a water pipe was damaged.
Homes affected are mainly in the L37 postcode and residents are reporting either no water at all, or no cold water.
United Utilities have said the issue is due to “a section of water pipe running near Formby Bypass being damaged by a third party”.
Engineers have arrived to assess the damage.
The aim now, their spokesman said, will be to restore the water supply as quickly as possible, while repairs are completed.
People living in the area have been advised not to run the hot water tap, or to use dishwashers, washing machines, or any other appliances that use the hot water supply.
In a text, United Utilities said: “When water starts flowing again, it can occasionally be a different colour for a couple of reasons.
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“You can clear the problem, by running the cold water tap that’s closest to your internal stop tap, just above a trickle.
“This may take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, why not collect this water and use it to water your plants? If you’re on a meter, don’t worry, that’s less than five pence.
“While your water is discoloured, we advise that you do not run the hot water tap, use dishwashers, washing machines, or any other appliances which uses your hot water supply.”
United Utilities says it will keep people updated via the website, and its Twitter page.
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