A sewage plant should be built in Hamilton to deal with the Island's waste, the chairman of the Water Authority said yesterday.

Currently much of Bermuda's sewage is pumped into the sea via a pipe run by the Corporation of Hamilton.

And plans are in-hand to invest millions of dollars in upgrading the city's sewage facilities.

However yesterday Donald Lines, the Water Authority chairman, said the Corporation and Government needed to ensure better sewage treatment.

"Government and the Corporation have to come to grips with the sewage treatment. The Corporation's plan does not deal with two things.

"They are very exposed by virtue of having just one pipe which is not of sufficient capacity to carry what they have to carry at the peak.

"If the pipe were to fracture there is no alternative and the outfall is going raw into the South Shore although studies to date have not indicated any significant problem.

"The future is secondary treatment which means a plant. They need it now and we have suggestions about where it could go,'' said Mr. Lines, who has been talking to Government and the Corporation about the issue.

The Corporation is to invest about $6 million in a new sewage pumping station as well as a new fine filter system to take out rubbish such as plastics.

It has also commissioned a study from the Bermuda Biological Station for Research on the effects of sewage discharged from the 750 metre outfall pipe on the reefs.

A recent report from Canadian consultants examining future needs also said it was possible a new sewage treatment plant could be built outside the City, but a decision on that depends on demand and environmental effects of the present system.

Yesterday Corporation Secretary Roger Sherratt said the first priority was to renew the pumping station and install the fine screening system.

"We look forward in the future to discussing other possibilities and what we need to do to make progress,'' said Mr. Sherratt.

"The pumping station and fine screening is our first priority, but that is only the first step. We are willing to meet with the Water Authority and we will be having discussions with the Government,'' added Mr. Sherratt.

Recently Wayne Carey, the chairman of the National Trust's marine environmental committee, said a co-ordinated Island-wide policy was needed to deal with sewage.

He also suggested implementing a study of the effects of sewage on in-shore and off-shore pollution.

However Mr. Lines said the Water Authority had worked on the issue of in-shore pollution for 25 years.

Recently the Authority also commissioned a report on the types and costs of sewage systems to encourage their use in Bermuda.

"What we did not have was a list of the types of plants and what their costs were so we could give something to people interested in putting in treatment plants,'' said Mr. Lines.

"The report was to find various facilities of primary, secondary and tertiary treatment, but we are not pushing for tertiary because we do not think it is necessary.

"We are encouraging others to look at sewage treatment. We have been discussing a comprehensive plan and pushing people into using sewage systems.''