Good afternoon – I am delighted to be here today to highlight key initiatives for the Ministry of Public Works as outlined in the national Budget last Friday.

As you already know, the Ministry is responsible for the Island's critical infrastructure, including roads, sewage, waste collection, water supply, quangos and by extension Municipalities, lands and parks, among other areas. These areas are Bermuda's essential resources, which is our responsibility to sustain and play a crucial role in our Path to Continued Economic Growth.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on the state of Government water supply and distribution as we enter a period of high demand this summer.

The Bermuda Weather Service indicates that rainfall in Bermuda for the last couple of months is below usual levels. The combined precipitation for May 2021 and June 2021 was 6.66 inches, with 3.76 inches falling in one day. Based on the normal average rainfall per month of 5 inches, the total for the last two months is 34% below average. Simply put, the island is currently in a dry spell.