The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Minister for Water, Bryan Green, to raise with his federal counterpart and Taswater, as a matter of urgency, to seek funding for a Feasibility and Options study into the best way to fix the Launceston sewerage crisis.
Greens Member for Bass Kim Booth MP congratulated the organisers of a Launceston public forum last night, called Tamar Sewerage Solution, which was well attended with around 100 concerned residents turning up on the cold winter night to raise their concerns.
Mr Booth also referred to the keynote speech by Professor Jenny Davis ( TT: Launceston … Sewerage systems can’t cope with more extreme weather ), which identified that the correct goal must be established, this is to ensure no sewerage enters the Tamar River, and outlined the following six necessary steps to river health;
1. Good governance
2. Upgrade of infrastructure including the separation of storm and sewage pipes;
3. Improved sewage treatment;
4. Increased tidal flushing;
5. Increased freshwater flows; and
6. Sustainable development of our waterfront.
“The Greens propose that a joint-funded investigation must be prioritized into the feasibility of separating the sewerage and stormwater systems and handing the existing system, minus the sewerage, to the Launceston City Council for stormwater use,” Mr Booth said.
“This is the practical way of identifying and funding a real solution to all those matters raised by the Tamar Sewerage Solution meeting in Launceston last night.”
“We can’t keep applying band-aid fixes, they only lead to further costs in the future. We need action that examines the feasible options whilst not wasting the existing infrastructure.”
“We support the calls by residents to stop sewage entering the Tamar River as soon as possible by providing a cost-benefit analysis of the various options presented to determine the most cost effective way to fix this problem.”
“Minister Green needs to play a proactive and constructive role here as a matter of urgency. We urge him to prioritising contacting his federal counterpart and Taswater to seek joint-funding for a Feasibility and Options study into the best options for a system that ends the contamination of the river with sewerage, as a matter of urgency.”
“The Tamar River, valley and its people depend on it,” Mr Booth said.
Download: Statement presented to today’s Launceston rally on behalf of T Morris and K Booth:
Aug20_Joint_Statement-Launceston_Sewage_Rally-T_Morris-K_Booth_MR.pdf
• Andrew Nikolic: Coalition acts on Tamar sewerage problem. Council backing …
