Water truckers say they are struggling to keep up with demand as rain fails to fall on Bermuda.

The Island is six inches below normal rainfall levels so far this year although Bermuda Weather Service director Mark Guishard said the current dry spell is not out of the ordinary.

"Currently the levels are down six inches and the only rainfall expected over the next few days will be light showers but that is not unusual," he said.

"Almost every year, in the late spring and summer months, we have this problem but then the issue goes away and everything is back to normal."

Because the word drought has never been officially applied to Bermuda, Dr. Guishard, who told Hamilton Rotary this week that 12 named storms, six hurricanes and two intense hurricanes were anticipated this season, that it was impossible to state whether the current condition could be described as a drought.

However, water delivery companies have complained of being unable to keep up with customer demand.

A company representative from Bermuda Water Services said: "Most of our customers in the West and East End have been affected by the drought.

"We usually get our water from the Port Royal station which operates from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. However, by noon they are done and there is no water in the East End at all."

She added: "We have had an absolute drastic increase in calls."

Driver for Zuill's Water Services, Kenneth Zuill, agreed there was a water scarcity, saying: "Normally we make 12 to 14 deliveries a day and now we are down to five or six deliveries, and waiting in line for over three hours a day.

"We have had to resort to going to other sources to get water. It makes me feel very depressed because I can't get the orders finished."

He continued: "The last couple of weeks have taken a turn for the worst. It is a bad situation up here."

Water companies in the central parishes seem to not have a problem serving their regular customers, however, they have also reported an increase in customer requests.

A representative of Archie Sousa Water Service said they had a waiting list.

And an employee of David Marshall Water Service said: "We have had some extra people calling in and we have had to turn away those that are not our usual customers."

In a statement, Government said its six treatment facilities "were handling the demand for water well" but it also stressed the need for conservation.

A spokesman for Works and Engineering said: "The current amount of rainfall in Bermuda is below normal. This has caused a high demand earlier in the summer season than is usually observed by the Ministry of Works and Engineering.

"The Ministry produces water at six water treatment facilities across the Island and the Ministry is currently managing the demand on the system."

The new Tynes Bay Water Treatment Facility is providing additional supply not available in the central parishes last year, the spokesman added.

"The Prospect truckers' outlet is open and has several metered outlets assigned to water trucking companies and a single automated outlet.

"The automated outlet has seen high usage in recent weeks causing delays for the truckers. We are preparing the North Shore truckers' outlet to be reopened with additional outlets."

The Ministry encouraged the public to follow recommendations outlined in the National Conservation Campaign which include taking a shower instead of a bath, minimal lawn and garden watering and using a bucket instead of a hose to wash cars.

n Tips for conserving water can be found online at www.water.gov.bm.