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Have you ever stopped to think about where your water comes from?
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TasWater has supplied water to more than 200,000 homes across the state since the amalgamation of three Tasmanian Water and Sewerage Corporations in 2013.
Since January 2017 TasWater has been rolling out its Water Systems Optimisation Program, a system put in place to maximise those resources employed to provide Tasmanians with good quality drinking water that meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and offer value for money.
The Water Systems Optimisation Group, comprising four engineers, two water scientists and three operational specialists, was put together to oversee the program.
When it comes to providing clean drinking water, Chris Pieterse, program manager water systems optimisation, explains that it is all about managing the risk.
“Water from a variety of sources is treated and distributed, with treatment mitigating the risks inherent in the catchments including those associated with microbiological contamination from human, agriculture and wildlife and chemical contamination from mining activities,” he said.
Through optimisation, TasWater has not just been able to improve the service but also the way they deal with managing the risks involved in supplying such an essential commodity.
Reliable sewage services were also a priority.
“We focus on getting the best possible results from the existing assets,” Dirk Stegink, program manager for sewage system optimisation explains.
“By improving processes we make less of an environmental impact, where our customers live and work; what is good for the environment is good for the customer.
“We are constantly improving productivity and efficiency, meaning we can save electricity, consumables and that helps keep our costs down which in turn can minimise future price rises.”
The additional support now ensures the teams are all on the same page in terms of operational goals.
“Before the amalgamation and creation of TasWater, every plant had its own way of working, different levels of support and access to technologies,” he said.
“Now the guys in the field are getting the support they need.”
Dirk stressed the optimisation model wasn’t a new or revolutionary idea and was used in a wide range of other industries, but its introduction was a sign TasWater was maturing as a business which is nearing the five year milestone.