Water is slowly returning to 32,500 properties after a main burst three days ago.

Southern Water said in an update on Sunday afternoon that customers’ supplies were “gradually being restored” in St Leonards and Hastings.

But 3,500 homes in the east of Hastings will lose supply temporarily from Sunday afternoon to preserve water for part of the town including the hospital as the network is “recharged”, the company said.

It added it expects supplies in these areas to return on Monday, along with the rest of the network.

A spokesman from the water company said: “This phased return of supplies to homes and businesses will see lower-lying areas and those nearest to Beauport coming back into supply first, with the remainder following as pressure increases in the pipes between now and tomorrow morning.

“Specifically, west and central areas of St Leonards, west Hastings and rural areas around Westfield should see supplies return gradually during the rest of Sunday.

“However, it will take longer for areas north of Hollington and east Hastings and rural areas east of Hastings to return to supply; we expect these to have supply from Monday morning.”

Water bottle stations have been set up at Asda and Tesco in St Leonards, Sea Road and Hastings Academy in Hastings and Southern Water is delivering bottled supplies to more than 6,000 customers on its priority services register.

The burst was repaired on Saturday, but the service has to be “restarted”, Southern Water said.

Schools, a leisure centre and a theatre in the area have been forced to close.

And this weekend is the annual four-day Jack In The Green Festival in Hastings and the May Day Bike Run, both of which usually see thousands of visitors flock to the area.

East Sussex county councillor Godfrey Daniel said the impact on businesses in Hastings would be “drastic”.

He added that one hotel in Hastings had resorted to flushing toilets with sea water.

Jon Smalldon, 46, who has lived in Hastings for ten years, said his family has 24 two-litre bottles of water which they are having to ration.

He told the PA news agency: “We have a couple of dogs and a cat as well so they’re now included in the rationing.”

Southern Water said the burst main, in Keeper’s Wood, near the A21, was “deep in woodland”, which made it difficult for crews and machinery to reach.

Summerfields Leisure Centre posted on Facebook saying it was still closed on Sunday morning, “until the situation changes”.

The White Rock Theatre was closed on Friday due to the water supply issue.

Churchwood Primary Academy and St Paul’s Church of England Academy in St Leonards were also closed on Friday.