Mayor Mick Tucker said councillors had to vote for what was best for the community, which could potentially lose $600,000 in annual income and see $33 million in assets being taken from the Break O’Day Council.

“Back in March we wrote to the government requesting further information because we had no position at all, our position was to have no position until we got more information,” he said.

“That information has not been forthcoming but we did have presentation by TasWater chairman Miles Hampton … we now believe we have enough information in the absence of the information we requested.

“As mayor I need to be able to vote at the LGAT meeting in Launceston on May 11 where all the different councils will be voting whether we support or whether we don’t support the government takeover.”

Cr Tucker said it was the council’s view that there was no ‘crisis’ and that TasWater was being used for political leverage.

“The crisis that is such a massive crisis will actually be resolved at the same time that the government takes it over, so if we have a crisis I believe action should be taken a lot quicker than 12 to 18 months,” he said. “We are very convinced that the assumption that Tasmania is well above the average in sewerage is false as well.”

Cr Tucker said the reality was that in Tasmania the sewer overflows were only seven times the national average because of the way the various water utilities across Australia report overflows.

He said TasWater reports overflows of greater than or equal to one kilolitre, whereas Victoria for example, reports overflows only when they are greater than or equal to 50 kilolitres.

“That then means you are non-complaint for the rest of the year … so it’s not exactly comparing apples with apples,” Cr Tucker said.

The council’s main concerns were that TasWater has an affordable debt level, whereas they believe the state government’s plan will be a burden on communities, and there was concerns over council’s reimbursement out of consolidated revenue.