Thames Water has delivered bottled water to the area

King's College Hospital is among customers affected by the burst pipe in the Linden Grove area of Peckham, south-east London, Saturday.

Thames Water has apologised and said they have been forced to shut down other mains pipes as repair work is carried out.

Bottled water has been distributed to the affected areas around Southwark, including East Dulwich and Peckham, by the company.

Fourteen tankers each containing a ton of water have also been sent to the area.

Resident Howard Latham, 46, said the first he heard about it was when his neighbour came round at 1600 BST on Saturday, to ask if he had any water.

We are employing teams around the clock to try to resolve the problem Thames Water spokesman

He told BBC News Online: "I have just brushed my teeth with mineral water. It is like living in the Third World.

"Only two weeks ago we had the power cut. I'm pretty browned off with living in south London."

Thames Water said the recent spell of hot, dry weather may have been a factor in causing the ground to move and the pipe to burst.

Operations manager Rob Keen said they had had problems with burst pipes in south-east London over the past few weeks.

He told BBC London: "This one is particularly complicated and that is why it has been going on since Friday.

"We are employing teams around the clock to try to resolve the problem.

"But where customers are affected directly, and one of our priorities has been King's College Hospital, we are supplying tankers as alternative water supplies as well as bottled water and stand pipe facilities."