The Corporation of St. George's has called in a team of consultants to look at ways of improving the town's ageing sewage system.

The Corporation has recently hired new pumps, but officials admit the antiquated system badly needs to be improved.

Councillor Mariea Caisey, of the sanitation and sewage committee, told a public meeting in the Town Hall recently that Bermuda Water Consultants had been hired to look at the sewage system.

The town has already experienced problems with water leaks and an overflow of the sewage pumping system at the harbour.

Mrs. Caisey said: "We are calling them in to find out what problems we have underneath the ground.

"We've had problems with water leaks throughout the town and we want them to identify them and to see what the conditions of the pipes are, as well as the water and sewage conditions.'' She revealed that the Corporation's own pump at the harbour overflowed at the end of last month when the Royal Majesty cruise ship was discharging waste into the pump.

An alarm has now been fitted on the pump to alert corporation officials if this happens in the future.

The Corporation is also in discussion with shipping agents to try to secure agreement to allow officials to board ships when they are discharging sewage into the pump at the harbour.

This would allow them to have radio contact with staff at the sewage pump to enable them to order ships to stop pumping immediately if there is a problem.

Managing director of Bermuda Water Consultants Dr. Kent Simmons confirmed his company had been approached in the last month to look at the problem.