The news that TasWater is addressing the state’s water quality will no doubt be music to the ears of the many residents who have survived through long periods of boiled water alerts.
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For months on end places like Avoca, Rossarden and Winnaleah have been on “do not consume” alerts.
It has meant that those customers who receive water from TasWater should not drink, cook with or use the water to prepare baby formula as it is not safe to use.
Those areas are just a few of the 24 townships in Tasmania who have been left in a vulnerable position.
On Tuesday, TasWater chairman Miles Hampton said the company will increase its capital spend to ensure that all permanent boil water and do not consume alerts are removed within two years.
“We expect to halve the number of towns on permanent alerts by 30 June, 2017, and remove all remaining permanent alerts within two years,” Mr Hampton said.
It will be a costly exercise, with the TasWater board deciding that from July 1, 2018, it will reduce and freeze its annual distributions to owner councils at $20 million.
It will also be a costly exercise for ratepayers who may have to pay higher rates to their municipal councils or go with a loss of services in their areas.
“The effective cost to councils over the period will exceed $150 million,” Mr Hampton said.
The Local Government Association of Tasmania and the TasWater Owners Group said it was “shocked at the unilateral decision by TasWater to slash annual distributions to owner councils to $20 million without consultation”.
Northern Midlands Council mayor, and Owners Representative Group spokesman, David Downie said he would be seeking an urgent meeting to get answers.
While agreeing that investment in water and sewerage infrastructure was needed, Mr Downie expressed disappointment that the state government was unable to secure federal funding for the initiative, instead moving the responsibility to local councils.
He will, most likely, not be the only one to voice concerns with TasWater saying that the “plan does not include tackling the issues created by the flow of stormwater into TasWater’s Launceston sewerage system”.
There are interesting times ahead for water and sewerage infrastructure spending in the state.
Watch this space.