The Island's first sustainable water plant was officially opened yesterday — but it has already delivered 2.8 million gallons of water since its launch in late February.

The North Shore Reverse Osmosis Plant and Truckers' Outlet, north of Tynes Bay Incinerator, has the capacity of 115,000 gallons a day and will be accessible to truckers 24 hours a day seven days a week. North Shore RO Plant has the capacity to produce 500,000 gallons of water to meet the need of the central parishes.

President of Bermuda Water Trucker's Association, John Stovell, was present at the official opening and said: "It makes it convenient for this area — from Pembroke into Hamilton Parish."

Works and Engineering is also working with WEDCO to open another plant in Dockyard for the West End of the Island.

The North Shore Reverse Osmosis Plant was a $700,000 initiative and aims to assist the Island particularly in times of need, such as the drought in the Summer of 2005.

"Those of you who remember the drought of the summer of 2005 will also remember how the Government had asked the community to take drastic conservation measures as old Bermudian practices of water conservation were re-introduced to meet the crisis.

"At that time, the Government also imported two and a half million gallons of water by ship. The new facility would have made a big difference in 2005 when the water truckers could not even come close to meeting the demand for water.

"When you realise that only ten percent of the population is provided with piped water, you can understand how important trucked water is during a drought.

The osmosis plant uses the "latest energy recovery equipment", which uses three filters to turn seawater into drinking water.

While these plants will certainly ease the strain of the Island's water supply, Minister of Works and Engineering Dennis P. Lister still encouraged people to conserve water in their homes, and said: practice some of those old Bermudian practices.

According to a press release, Government plans to educate the public on water conservation and is currently working to start conservation programmes within the Island's schools.