An independent assessment of Tasmania’s water and sewerage infrastructure shows that it continues to fall behind expectations, despite record investment by TasWater.
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The state’s Economic Regulator in his 2015-16 analysis of the state’s water works showed 17 of the state’s 112 sewage treatment plants were “substantially non-compliant” and just one plant was fully compliant.
There were also 37 more sewage overflows compared to the year before.
Economic Regulator Joe Dimasi said TasWater’s operating costs continued to rise about inflation because of the age and condition of its assets.
TasWater’s capital expenditure increased by approximately $26 million in 2015‐16.
The organisation’s 2016‐17 $105 million capital works program includes 86 projects.
But Mr Dimasi said despite significant investment to improve the performance of its sewage treatment plants, compliance with regulatory sewage effluent discharge limits was 8 per cent worse now than six years ago.
“Drinking water quality and environmental compliance are not at the levels expected or required for contemporary water and sewerage networks,” he said.
“Tasmania’s water and sewerage assets are deteriorating faster than they can be replaced.”
TasWater chairman Miles Hampton said the report showed that more Tasmanians were receiving water that met Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and paid less on a litre-for-litre basis than anywhere else in the country.
“This report shows that there is no so-called crisis in Tasmania’s water and sewerage system,” he said.
But Treasurer Peter Gutwein said the report demonstrated that “things were getting worse and not better”.
“This report makes the case as to why the government should takeover Taswater,” he said.
The report also showed:
- 17 per cent of properties experienced unplanned interruptions, continuing the year-on-year increase trend from 2011-12;
- the typical annual bill for residential customers was $1062;
- average household water consumption was 176,000 litres a year;
- there were 185 more sewer breaks and chokes in 2015-16 than the year before, totalling 2895 incidents;
- four dams were listed as having an “extreme consequence” if they were to fail.