IMPACTS from Launceston's combined stormwater and sewerage system on the Tamar River will be outlined in a report compiled by New Zealand-based expert Ian Garside.
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Mr Garside has been hired by TasWater to conduct a study into the city's "unique" drainage system, expected to be completed by March next year.
"This is one of the last combined systems in Australia, and part of the exercise we're doing for TasWater is to determine the effect it is having on the Tamar River," Mr Garside said.
Investigation into a tertiary treatment plant for the city was something that would be considered as part of the $500,000 report, funded through the $3 million Tamar River Recovery Plan.
The combined flow's impact on the river, as well as the state of the river upstream from Launceston and the tidal flushing from the upper part of the estuary were things that must be considered, he said.
"I think there's a series of short-term fixes that could be identified," Mr Garside said.
"It would be premature to suggest what a cost estimate might be at this stage.
"Perhaps in one of the preliminary outputs from the work, expected by Christmas, is when we will get the first heads-up on what costs are expected."
He said the city's system was similar to that of Dunedin and Auckland in New Zealand, and comparable with New York, Chicago and Boston's in the US.
Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic said the system serviced about 30,000 properties from areas such as South, West and East Launceston, Newstead and Invermay.
"TasWater tells us that the first pipes in Launceston's combined system were installed in the 1860s, and the oldest parts of the network still in operation are now more than 130 years old," Mr Nikolic said.
