The West End Development wastewater treatment facility was officially opened yesterday.

The new facility was built to help meet existing demand as well as future residential and commercial growth.

The project began in 2005 as WEDCO upgraded its infrastructure in order to accommodate the second cruise ship pier.

Minister of Works and Engineering Derrick Burgess said: "The West End Water Reclamation Facility produces high-quality reclaimed water that is suitable for non-potable reuse as toilet flushing water and landscape irrigation.

"It replaces a 20-year old facility that was in extremely poor condition, produced a poor effluent quality and was infamous for foul odours emanating in Dockyard."

The new facility is designed to treat an average of 250,000 gallons per day, the peak flow is 500,000 gallons per day. However, the capacity can be doubled by adding new membrane equipment within the existing structure. The Minister added: "The compact design has a smaller footprint than the old wastewater treatment plant but has the capability to treat more than six times the flow and produce a far superior effluent quality. The high quality, reclaimed water produced by the facility is visually similar to drinking water and comparable to treated wastewater produced at other advanced treatment facilities in the world.

"It is used for flushing water within the Dockyard and replaces the salt water system that caused significant corrosion and maintenance problems within the flushing water distribution system, plumbing fixtures and sewage collection systems."

It has been operating since early December.