The weekend's rainfall did little to ease the Island's drought, with rainfall levels still six inches below normal.

This leaves water truckers still working flat out to supply homes with the precious liquid.

Just 22.06 inches of water have fallen since January, well short of the Island's average of 28.9 inches, said the Bermuda Weather Service.

But recent rainfall has been patchy with some areas being awash in water for short periods while the sun has shone brightly in the other parts of the Island.

Rainfall doesn't ease drought fears July has seen 2.28 inches of rain fall, still not sufficient to alleviate water shortages.

"We down here at Southside haven't got as much rainfall as other parishes,'' Dave Forbes director of the Bermuda Weather Service said this week. "What we have been seeing is really hit or miss rainfall.'' This year's drought is not the worst the Island has seen in recorded history and is only part of a natural cycle, Mr. Forbes said.

"As near as we can tell there is a terrific variability year to year,'' he said. "So that there is virtually no way to say we are having an abnormal period.'' Mr. Forbes added: "We have looked at the statistics and in the long term this is not our worst drought.'' But water trucker Johnny Eatherly said he and others in his industry have been working feverishly to handle dozens of deliveries well into the night to satisfy demand.

"No, business hasn't slowed down,'' said Mr. Eatherly, owner of Eatherly's Water Service. "We're still busy from sun-up to 1 a.m.

He said the recent rains were not the "tank rain'' ideal for filling each household's water tank.

"I really think its going to take eight hours of steady rain just to catch up,'' Mr. Eatherly said. "We haven't had much rain since November. All the truckers are busy.'' Mr. Eatherly said water in the underground water lens is still providing good water, but some commercial suppliers with storage tanks are running low.

The water lens is limestone rock infused with both saltwater and fresh water.

Fresh water, less dense than salt water, floats above sea level in the rock.

It is recharged by rainwater and recycled ground water and cesspit disposal.

Works and Engineering experts say the lens system is not in danger of collapse and it will recover quickly once the Island gets sufficient rainfall.

WATER WAT