But NRM North operations manager Amanda Locatelli said the project, likely to cost $50,000, might not eventuate due to recent funding cuts.

The project involves development of an online tool to provide recreational users with information regarding the level of risk for recreational use and information to minimise these risks.

“This approach would require developing a modelling approach for understanding enterococci transport in the Tamar and the forecasting of rainfall to provide an indication of the level of risk to recreational users,” Ms Locatelli said.

She said TEER would work with TasWater and the City of Launceston to co-ordinate a monitoring program this year for rainfall events to better understand the loads of pollutants, including enterococci loads, from combined sewer overflows, stormwater and the impacts in the Tamar and North Esk.

Tamar Yacht Club commodore Bill Griffiths on the weekend revealed that the organisation has no intention of testing the river for the next two years after the club had urged it to undertake more regular testing.

“There have been occasions in the past when NRM North has arranged to analyse samples of water taken from a variety of locations along the river,” he said.

“In the developed world, enterococci levels in excess of 250 parts per million require the public be immediately informed through the media that a public health problem exists.

“Readings obtained however by NRM North have shown levels in Home Reach exceeding 5000 parts per million.”

Ms Locatelli said NRM North’s TEER Program had no regulatory requirement for water monitoring.

Waterway monitoring takes a minimum of 24 hours for results which microbiological pollution might be no longer present or present at higher than detected levels.