TasWater has hit out at the state government, after the company was excluded from a committee tasked with combating pollution in the Tamar River.
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The Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce will seek to find solutions to the problem of raw sewerage flowing into the Tamar in times of high rainfall.
The TEMT’s recommendations will inform the River Health Action Plan, to be completed by the end of 2017.
Membership of the TEMT includes Infrastructure Tasmania chairman Alan Garcia, NRM North chief executive Rosanna Coombes and Northern mayors Bridget Archer, Christine Holmdahl and Craig Perkins.
Representation from the state’s water and sewerage provider, however, is seemingly absent.
TasWater chief executive Miles Hampton said he was “somewhat surprised” that the company had not been invited to join the taskforce, given that they had the most “specialist knowledge” of the situation.
He said the relocation of UTAS’ Newnham campus to Inveresk had been prioritised over the Tamar’s health.
The TEMT was a prerequisite of the City Deal, cosigned by the Launceston City Council and the federal and state governments.
The state government has proposed to take sole ownership of TasWater, saying it will be better equipped to expedite upgrades to the state’s ageing water and sewerage infrastructure.
Treasurer Peter Gutwein was shocked that TasWater was “complaining”.
“It's surprising Taswater is complaining given they oppose our plan to bring forward significant sewerage work upgrades on the Tamar,” Mr Gutwein said.
He highlighted the fact that aldermen Archer, Holmdahl and Perkins were on the taskforce, all of whom are council owners of TasWater.
“Input from TasWater, Hydro [Tasmania] and other relevant stakeholders will be sought throughout the process as and when required,” Mr Gutwein said.
The Treasurer has previously said that the TEMT would liaise closely with TasWater.
On July 19, Infrastructure Tasmania, a state-run body, released a report supporting the government’s TasWater takeover proposal.
TasWater has publicly criticised the report.
The upper house will vote on the government’s legislation soon.
