Government has urged the public to conserve water because of a severe rain shortage over the past few months.

Works and Engineering and Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent said the situation has put a severe strain on demand at Government water treatment plants and reservoirs so he has restricted access.

He said: ?We are asking the public to assist by practising water conservation measures. Householders should restrict the amount of water they use for household cleaning, watering the lawns and gardens and cleaning cars. We are also asking them not to order more water than is absolutely necessary.?

However, the Bermuda Weather Service denied there is a drought and said rainfall for the year to date was only two inches down on last year?s total.

Meteorologist Kimberley Zuill said: ?We are probably going to catch up this weekend. Showers are forecasted. Two inches really isn?t a lot to get concerned about ? we saw seven inches in two days in August.?

Mr. DeVent said the reservoirs at Prospect, St George?s and Port Royal have, on a number of occasions, been completely emptied, making it necessary to close the water truckers? outlets at Frog Lane, Port Royal and St. George?s.

In some cases Government has restricted the piped supply to customers, to enable the reservoirs to refill.

Abstraction from the major well fields is at its maximum capacity, the Treatment Plants are all operating normally and ongoing efforts are being made to restore the reservoir levels, said Mr. DeVent but the continuing high demand, due to less than normal rainfall, may require ongoing restrictions.

The systems are being continually monitored and managed in an effort to ensure that impact on customers is minimised.

New restriction times for the truckers? outlets are in force until further notice. They are:

Frog Lane 7.30 am to 4 p.m.

Port Royal 11 am to 6.30 p.m.

St. George?s 7.30 am to 4.30 p.m.

Further water trucking restrictions may be necessary, depending on operational conditions.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing apologises for any inconvenience and requested the general public?s support for water conservation by:

Repairing leaks quickly;

Using a bucket, not a hose, to wash cars;

Minimising lawn and garden watering;

Not letting water overflow or run after use;

When doing laundry, wash full loads;

And, not ordering deliveries of more water than necessary.