The results should be known before the end of this month and will resolve the sometimes acrimonious dispute between scientists and water diviners over the issue.
Work was due to begin on the first test bore at La Rocque this afternoon at a site identified by the water diviner George Langlois , who is convinced that the tests will prove the existence of the deep underground streams.
Drilling at a second site at St Catherine will start next Monday, and each borehole will take a week to complete.
Mr Langlois said that he had recently been told about work done by the University of Caen that indicates the existence of a huge underground lake in Normandy.
This could well be the source of the water that he says runs to the Island.
