The government over the weekend released draft legislation to enable it to transform the council-owned entity into a government business enterprise.

The legislation will be tabled after the parliamentary winter break and debated later.

The relevant government minister overseeing the proposed GBE or the Treasurer will be given power to give directions to the new body on any matter relating to its performance or obligations.

Mersey independent MLC Mike Gaffney said this would effectively give the government power to intervene on the rollout of specific projects to suit its means.

“One of the many positives with TasWater is that it is independent to the government of the day and that they have chosen to focus on many important smaller – but nevertheless important –  projects across the state regardless of the population size of the community,” he said.

“TasWater are doing what is best for the whole state, not just cherry-picking.”

Mr Gaffney said TasWater had done a lot of hard work that the government was now poised to take credit for heading into an election.

“I think that TasWater has come a huge way in such a relatively short period of time, and the average Tasmanian is not fully aware of that journey,” he said.

Labor’s three votes in the Legislative Council look destined to be in the negative when the legislation reaches the upper house.

Labor Leader Rebecca White said the takeover plan would plunge the state into debt and spruiked her party's plan to have superannuation funds back three large water and sewerage projects.

"The legislation that has been released by the government still has a number of questions with respect to how it would work in practice," Ms White said.

"Ultimately, the takeover of TasWater is unnecessary."

Greens water spokeswoman Andrea Dawkins said her party too needed more detail from the government about the takeover, particularly around resolving Launceston’s sewage problems.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein on Monday said Labor’s plan wasn’t costed or detailed and returns demanded by superannuation funds would be passed on to consumers through higher bills. 

He said there was additional scope under the Liberals plan to fund the projects.

The draft legislation has cemented set dividend payments to councils from 2018 until 2025. Northern councils will receive $5.2 million a year with the City of Launceston receiving more than half of this ($2.7 million).