TasWater is undertaking projects to improve water quality across the state, with a new water treatment plant in Mole Creek in North Central Tasmania nearing completion and works beginning on another plant in Ringarooma in Tasmania’s North East.
The Mole Creek plant, built by water technology specialist, Laurie Curran Water, has already begun to produce treated water.
The Mole Creek plant is currently undergoing testing and commissioning, where the systems are checked and calibrated to ensure the filtration process thoroughly cleans and disinfects the water.
The town’s water has never been adequately filtered or chlorinated in line with current health regulations before, and in recent years consumers have been advised to boil their water before use.
The Department of Health and Human Services will only revoke the water boiling order when it is absolutely confident the Mole Creek treatment plant can provide a consistent supply that meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Contained in a large shed, the treatment plant sits alongside two large reservoirs – one for raw water and the other for fully treated water. Just like the existing system it will be fed to the town and rural properties along the way by gravity.
TasWater is also working through a review of the reticulation system throughout Mole Creek to ensure all customers are appropriately connected.
TasWater CEO, Michael Brewster, said he was pleased to see progress being made at Mole Creek with treated water expected to be flowing by December 2016.
“I am happy too, to use this year’s national water week to highlight a series of projects around the state aimed at improving water quality.
“Mole Creek is just one of a number of communities where a significant amount of money is being invested, part of TasWater’s annual spend of around $100 million on infrastructure upgrades.”
Another significant project aiming to improve water quality is a new water treatment plant in Ringarooma.
Currently the building that will house the new plant is in place and initial work on the electrical fit-out is underway.
Some of the major components of the Ringarooma water treatment equipment are also on site with more to be delivered and installed before the end of October 2016.
In addition to this equipment, a raw water storage facility is also being built on the East Maurice Road site.
Work is underway on a new treated water reservoir high on a hill a couple of hundred metres from the treatment plant site, which will gravity feed water to Ringarooma, Winnaleah, Branxholm, Derby and Legerwood.
Water will be stored in an existing reservoir in Winnaleah while construction of a new reservoir for Derby is about to start.
“The Ringarooma valley is just one of a number of communities where a significant amount of money is being invested, part of TasWater’s annual spend of around $100 million on infrastructure upgrades,” Mr Brewster said.
TasWater has plans to bring all its Tasmanian water supplies up to standard over the next two years so all existing boil water advisories can be removed.
Mr Brewster said this would be an occasion for a long awaited celebration for both residents in smaller communities around Tasmania and TasWater.
