pushed through the House of Assembly yesterday.

MPs discussed the Water Resources Amendment Act, which sets out a new system of fines and seeks to phase out the water authority.

New powers will be given to the environmental authority.

After introducing the bill, Environment Minister Harry Soares said the transfer of responsibility for policing the water supply was a logical move.

He explained that the Works and Engineering Ministry handled the Water Authority -- but had to call in Environment Ministry officials to do the work.

Instead, Government wants to axe the Water Authority and transfer its powers to the Environmental Authority under the Environmental Engineer rather than the Chief Engineer at Works and Engineering.

Mr. Soares said that the move would mean more efficiency and faster service.

He added: "This will mean people dealing with one Ministry as opposed to two and two authorities as opposed to two.'' The Water Services Amendment Act also proposed massive fine increases for people who offend against water regulations.

Now the scale of fines runs from $1,000 to $10,000 instead of the previous $100 to $2,000.

The proposed new law also brings the old US Base Lands into the Act, following the decision by the American and Canadian military to give up their leases.

And pollution from ships -- currently governed by various conventions and shipping legislation -- will also be brought under the Ministry of the Environment.

But while Government were expecting the act to sail through the House, Opposition members raised several questions.

PLP backbencher Ottiwell Simmons pointed out that Bermuda was one of the few countries which did not have access to purified water from reservoirs.

And he said: "We should have water resources which have sufficient inspectors to make regular checks of the public supply -- and even private homes if neccessary.'' Mr. Simmons also paid tribute to the former Works and Engineering director Norman Thomas, who died recently.

"He was a specialist in water and it was through him that the whole water resource in Bermuda was well organised,'' he said.

"Today we can't say we have that type of expertise in Bermuda and that, because water is so important to people's health, we are asking the Minister if he would take into consideration to have people trained to specialise in water and it's supply, distribution and condition.'' Mr. Simmons also questioned the drafting of the legislation, saying that it would make administration cumbersome and piecemeal.

"Our party is very much in favour of policing water resources and enforcing the Clean Air Act,'' he said.

"We are very much in favour of the bits of legislation and as such are concerned that these matters are properly administered.

"But it's my opinion that the amendment today does not simplify the administration of this legislation.'' But former Environment Minister Irving Pearman dismissed Mr. Simmons' argument as "heavy water''.

"This is part of the Five Year Plan and as we look to improve the management of Government we can provide a better service to the public,'' he said.

Southampton East MP Reginald Burrows, referring to an incident at the Marriott Castle Harbour Hotel in February when hundreds of people became ill after drinking contaminated water, asked if Government was making enough checks on water at hotels.

Former Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness also expressed concerns about the risk of drinking poor quality water and asked if the high incidents of diabetes on the Island could be related to water.

But Shadow Human Affairs spokesman Dr. Ewart Brown explained that the disease was linked to genetics.

Defending the ammendment against criticism from the Opposition benches, Youth, Sports and Recreation Minister John Barritt explained that it was "fundamentally simple''.

"When it comes to the management of our natural resources of air and water it would be best if a group was set up that could oversea both,'' he said.

Environment Minister Harry Soares seemed exaserbated at the number of hurdles the Opposition kept putting up.

"A lot of heavy water has been made of a very simple ammendment,'' he said.

"I never expected it to hit such troubled waters -- I though it would be smooth sailing in calm waters. What we are talking about is simplifying government and bringing in modern management.'' He confirmed that the water authority would be phased out, with all tasks being taken over by the environmental authority.

He also said that there were no immediate plans to increase the number of water inspectors.

Mr. Soares said the new authority could look after environmental issues concerning both "clean air and water''.

But Dr. Brown claimed the Minister had not read the bill properly when Mr.

Soares said the $10,000 fine for pollution culprits was "a maximum''.

More House coverage in Monday's newspaper