Call for Better Protections for Hobart’s Drinking Water

Media release – Safe Water Hobart, 21 September 2023

Safe Water Hobart calls for strengthened protections for Hobart’s drinking water

Water watchdog, Safe Water Hobart, says the $244m upgrade to Bryn Estyn Water Treatment plant does not remove neurotoxic contaminants from Hobart’s drinking water, just taste and odour compounds.

The upgrades also fail to address the root cause of the water contamination from a toxic mix of agricultural pesticides, fish hatchery effluent and run off from a commercial waste site which all flow directly into Bryn Estyn.

Safe Water Hobart is urging the establishment of a Catchment Management Authority, as can be found interstate, to centralise responsibility for Hobart’s drinking water catchment and ensure robust long-term protections for public health.

“I’m disappointed that the upgrade does nothing to filter out neurotoxins like BMAA and also fails to address the inadequate water management practices upstream that are the cause of contamination,” said environmental scientist Lisa-Anne Gershwin.

“A single, well-resourced catchment management authority, based on management systems already used interstate, could introduce comprehensive testing and respond rapidly to emerging threats, while enforcing controls to curb runoff of harmful chemicals, excessive nutrients and bacteria into our drinking water supply,” said Cr John Kelly.

“The current fragmented system makes it nearly impossible to effectively monitor and prevent hazardous substances from entering our drinking water. Currently no one is taking responsibility,” said Cr Kelly.

The group has highlighted emerging research linking neurotoxic chemicals like BMAA to diseases including Motor Neurone Disease and Alzheimer’s. BMAA is a neurotoxin produced by blue green algae, which is known to be in Hobart’s waterways. Risk of blue green algal blooming is supercharged by excessive nutrients from agriculture, aquaculture, and urban runoff.

“The science on BMAA has progressed significantly, yet TasWater is still relying on a single outdated study that downplays the neurotoxin’s danger. We need an urgent, precautionary approach given the likelihood for this neurotoxin to be in our drinking water,” said Dr Gershwin.

Local physicians are also raising the alarm. “Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease and Motor Neurone Disease are increasing at an alarming rate (and this is not explained by better diagnosis or population ageing). This increase in Parkinson’s and Motor Neurone Disease is related to environmental factors which we need to understand better through rigorous water testing and other research,” said geriatrician Dr Frank Nicklason.

Community members impacted by diseases possibly linked to water quality voiced determination to see changes. “Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s. These are devastating conditions that come at immense cost to the people they afflict, their loved ones, and society at large. Given the risks identified, surely the precautionary principle ought to apply,” said Paul Kelly, 31, a person living with Motor Neurone Disease.

The Bryn Estyn treatment plant provides 60% of Hobart’s water supply. Safe Water Hobart urges immediate action to avoid the potential of a public health disaster.

Safe Water Hobart is a community watchdog for Hobart’s water safety, consisting of scientists, medical doctors, disease advocates, and business and government leaders. The group is concerned about the potential contamination of Hobart’s water catchment and advocates for the establishment of a Catchment Management Authority as found interstate.