TasWater's real water loss is almost three times the median rate reported by equivalent mainland utilities, the state's Economic Regulator says.
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In an annual report on the state of Tasmania's water industry, regulator Joe Dimasi said unaccounted for water continued to be a concern with the business estimating that around 25 per cent of treated water was being lost from the system.
He said the rate of loss was estimated to be 8.9 kilolitres per kilometre of water main per day.
"Based on these estimates, the level of unaccounted for water continues to reflect inefficiencies in the water systems that ultimately result in a poorer financial performance for TasWater which constrains TasWater's capacity to upgrade its infrastructure," Mr Dimasi said.
"It also results in higher risks of water restrictions being imposed."
He said TasWater's total capital expenditure was $177.6 million over 2021-22, which was an increase of 37.9 per cent from 2019-20, but below the target of $193.3 million in its corporate plan.
In the regulator's report, the bill for a Tasmanian household using 200 kilolitres of water per year was estimated to be $1214 per year.
Mr Dimasi said this was on par with the national median for major utilities of $1212 per year. The company supplied 65,537 megalitres in urban water to customers last financial year.
He said TasWaters underlying profitability improved substantially in
2020-21 with an underlying profit of $16.3 million, compared to a loss of $15.8 million the previous year.
TasWater chief executive George Theo said the State of the Industry Report noted the 100-per-cent microbiological compliance for the state's drinking water for the third year in a row as well as improved treated sewerage compliance.
"In the 2020-21 period, no water systems operated under a long-term boil water alert or a do-not-consume notice," he said.
"We are proud of this as just four years ago there were 25 permanent public health alerts across Tasmania.
"In the same reporting period, we also had over 90-per-cent compliance with discharge to water limits for the third year in a row."
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Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
