TasWater has commenced sewer works aiming to help protect the Kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary, support future growth and improve environmental outcomes across Greater Launceston.
The Prospect Vale Sewerage Improvement Project marks the first stage of TasWater’s broader sewage treatment transformation across northern Tasmania.
The project will retire ageing infrastructure that no longer meets TasWater’s environmental and service standards, redirecting wastewater to the existing Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and creating a more reliable and resilient sewer network for the Launceston region.
TasWater Head of Major Projects Andrew Truscott said the investment was necessary to address ageing infrastructure that had reached capacity and could no longer meet modern environmental and community expectations.
“Tasmanians value and feel a strong connection to our local waterways. This project is about protecting these places, reducing environmental risks and ensuring the community can enjoy them safely for generations to come,” Truscott said.
“By upgrading Prospect Vale’s sewage infrastructure, TasWater is investing in the local area, keeping services reliable and supporting growth across Prospect Vale and surrounding communities by up to 10,000 new homes over the longer term.”
Truscott said the existing Prospect Vale STP was unable to accommodate projected population growth or meet contemporary environmental performance requirements.
“This project is part of our broader investment over the next decade through the Launceston Sewer Transformation Project, which will replace seven ageing treatment plants with a modernised system centred around an upgraded Ti Tree Bend plant, delivering improved treatment, reduced environmental impact, greater system resilience and capacity for future growth,” he said.
As part of the project, TasWater will also install a new treated water transfer main to strengthen Launceston’s drinking water network.
“This will help secure a more reliable drinking water supply for parts of Launceston by improving the connection between Mount Leslie Water Treatment Plant and the Upper Brougham reservoirs and allowing interconnectivity across the city,” Truscott said.
“Delivering this work alongside the sewer improvements reduces community disruption and maximises long-term community benefit.”
The Prospect Vale Sewerage Improvement Project will replace the existing sewage treatment plant with a new sewage pump station and pipeline connecting the area to the existing sewer network at Ti Tree Bend.
The first stage of the pipeline works is expected to be completed by late 2026, with further construction scheduled to commence in late 2027.
