conservation campaign.

"I wouldn't want to push the panic button, but I would like folks to be aware of the importance of conservation, especially in the context of how we in Bermuda are developing and growing,'' Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said yesterday.

"The important thing is to not overtax our water lens,' he continued. "There is some concern in the West End to the extent that we have put in place an RO (reverse osmosis) plant -- a reverse osmosis system -- because obviously that lens there is at the point where we have to be very prudent and very concerned.

"We have the advantage of having any coast about a mile, a mile-and-a-half away from any point and so therefore it is a reasonable and a practical option for us.'' Mr. Scott said existing water reservoirs on the base lands would only last for up to two weeks. And the RO plant for the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital -- which uses hundreds of thousands of gallons of water a year -- would only last six days.

WATER WAT