Southern Water has confirmed that investigations are being undertaken into options to improve sewerage capacity to the fast-growing Brighton area.

However, planned works on the fringe of an Aboriginal Heritage Site amount to no more than upgrading an existing pipeline and assertions that the site would become a ‘dumping ground’ are incorrect.

Executive Manager Asset Planning and Delivery, Russell Fox, said that the project planning was based around a larger sewerage pipeline being installed in the same location as the existing pipeline underneath William Street.

“Southern Water has an existing sewerage pipeline which carries sewage from the Andrew Street pump station to the Brighton Primary Sewage Lagoon. Due to the growing population of the area it is necessary for us to install a sewerage pipeline with a larger capacity,” Mr Fox said.

“It is planned that this pipeline would be installed in the same location as the existing pipeline, which runs underneath an existing road. We envisage minimal disruption to the surrounding area.

“We do recognise and appreciate that the existing pipeline runs along the fringe of an area identified as a listed Aboriginal Heritage Site, and we have taken expert advice and worked with an Aboriginal Heritage Officer in order to properly understand the heritage area surrounding our existing assets.”

Southern Water has engaged SKM Consultants, who are experts in the cultural heritage field, to undertake studies into any aboriginal heritage impacts the upgrade may have.
Mr Fox highlighted the fact that no work would be carried out without the appropriate permits and that the only permit application submitted to date was to gain approval for archaeological investigations.

“A permit application has been lodged to undertake sub-surface investigations to determine the extent of the cultural heritage in the immediate vicinity of the existing pipeline.”
As part of the investigations undertaken by SKM the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council were approached for input.
Southern Water