The Government has announced it will be providing 200-gallon black tanks at cheap rates to primarily assist Corporate Area residents store water during the current shortage.

Permanent secretary in the water and housing ministry, Genefa Hibbert, said the Government has acquired an initial 500 tanks and is offering them to residents at the purchase price. The general consumption tax has been waived and there is no profit markup on the tanks.

"The requests coming into us for the tanks have been tremendous," she said.

Water Minister Dr Horace Chang said only one tank would be provided for each household and added that systems were being put in place to guard against exploitation.

"We will have a system in place to check the address," Chang said.

$477-million programme

The black-tank project is part of a $477-million programme the Govern-ment announced last month in response to the current water shortage.

Chang said arrangements would also be made for the tanks to be made available through local parish councils.

In order to get the tanks, residents must first pay about $5,000 at the water ministry. They will then be given a stub to take to the centre where tanks are stored to make the pick-up.

To obtain a storage tank, call 1-888-977-7344 or the Ministry of Water and Housing.