Works have started on a new underground pipeline, which will form a key part of TasWater’s Selfs Point Sewer Transformation Project.
The new 4.3km pipeline will carry 12ML of sewage per day from Macquarie Point to the soon-to-be upgraded and expanded Selfs Point Sewage Treatment Plant.
TasWater Acting General Manager Project Delivery, Tim Cubit, said Hobart commuters would notice increased activity around Lower Domain Road over the next few months.
“The northern end of Lower Domain Road, near the Domain Highway, is busy at the moment – we have trucks transporting pipes, materials and equipment in preparation for the start of trenching works,” Mr Cubit said.
“While digging a trench for a 4.3km pipeline is a big job, we don’t expect this initial activity to cause significant disruptions to traffic, however minor delays may occur this week and next week as we get the site prepared.”
Mr Cubit said the trenching and pipeline construction works would begin in the next fortnight and continue until April 2025.
The new pipeline forms a key part of the transformation project, which once complete, will significantly improve Hobart’s sewerage network and environmental outcomes for future generations.
The project will see the existing Macquarie Point Sewage Treatment Plant decommissioned and replaced with a more compact state-of-the-art pump station. At the same time, the existing Selfs Point Sewage Treatment Plant will be upgraded and expanded.
“This project, including the new pipeline, will transform the way we manage Hobart’s sewage, unlock the potential for further growth of the city, and increase our sewage treatment capacity,” Mr Cubit said.
TasWater is partnering with the Tasmanian Government on the $314 million project. The State Government is investing $224 million and TasWater is contributing $90 million for the relocation. In addition to this, TasWater is investing a further $66 million in upgrades to the Selfs Point site to prepare for the future removal of another three sewage treatment plants situated along the Derwent.
The utility said the project will provide an estimated 3420 direct and indirect jobs and generate an estimated $1.1 billion worth of economic activity in the state.
Once complete, the upgraded plant will treat up to 25ML of wastewater every day and will reduce nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Derwent River by 50 per cent.
TasWater is investing $1.9 billion in its network over the next five years to ensure it can continue to deliver exceptional water and sewerage services for a thriving Tasmania.
