TASWATER’S sewerage plants are having a concerning impact on the state’s rivers and coastal waters and have gotten worse since 2009, the state’s economic regulator says.
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The annual Water and Sewerage State of the Industry Report says TasWater’s environmental compliance has not improved and lags well behind its mainland counterparts.
The report says effluent containing significant organic loads, elevated nutrients and faecal bacteria were being released into the environment.
‘‘The environmental impact of waste water on the state’s rivers and coastal waters continues to be of concern,’’ the report said.
The report said TasWater’s compliance with treated effluent standards had steadily declined since July 2009, when management was transferred to the state-owned company’s three predecessors.
Acting TasWater chief executive Dean Page said the company planned to address the issue over the next few years.
‘‘We certainly acknowledge that we have a way to go in that area,’’ he said.
‘‘We do have a renewed focus on sewerage infrastructure and ensuring that the transportation and treatment of waste water is brought up to a contemporary standard.’’
The report was also critical of TasWater’s performance data, which made it difficult to assess the performance and condition of its assets.
However, the report said the quality of the state’s drinking water had vastly improved since 2011-12 as a result of better management infrastructure.
The report also praised TasWater’s better customer service performance, noting that 92 per cent of calls were answered within 20 seconds.
In December TasWater chief executive Mike Brewster told a government scrutiny hearing that none of the state’s 80 treatment plants met modern environmental standards and would require tens of millions of dollars to upgrade.