Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan Project

Our River. Our Future

Revitalising kanamaluka/Tamar estuary

The kanamaluka/Tamar estuary is a special landscape that connects our community. We appreciate its importance to Launceston and the wider community, which is why we are making investments today to ensure its health for future generations.

As part of the Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan (TERHAP), we will be delivering new sewerage infrastructure for the city to improve the health of kanamaluka/Tamar estuary and the environment that surrounds it.

What's this project all about?

The Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan (TERHAP or the Plan) is an initiative of the Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce (TEMT) and the Launceston City Deal, to improve the health of kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary.

TERHAP

A total of $129.2 million is being invested by the Australian Government, Tasmanian Government, TasWater and City of Launceston under the Launceston City Deal to implement the key actions in the plan. 

 Improvements Benefits
We're delivering projects to improve the operation of Launceston's combined system which manages the flow of both sewage and stormwater.  The projects will help to divert sewage and stormwater flows away from kanamaluka/Tamar estuary, reducing the frequency and volume of overflow events.

These improvements include:

  • Upgrades of existing and construction of new pump stations to increase pumping capacities
  • Constructing new network storages to reduce overflows
  • Building additional pipelines to transfer greater flow volumes.
Delivery of these projects will provide measurable benefits to kanamaluka/Tamar estuary.

The forecast benefits include:

  • A reduction in combined sewage and stormwater overflow volumes in an average rainfall year
  • Reducing the presence of human waste-related bacteria concentrations in Tamar Estuary Zone 1 in an average rainfall year.
 Works undertaken to date
We're making good progress on the TERHAP combined system improvement projects.  Activities undertaken to date include:

Esplanade/St John Street pipeline upgrade – in November 2022 we completed construction of our new pipeline section and new connections. 

Margaret Street Diversion Project - During September 2023 we completed the final phase of major construction by lifting the large concrete lid into place for this new underground diversion chamber at our Margaret Street Pump Station.

The chamber is now connected to our existing sewer system and will help divert sewage and stormwater flows away from kanamaluka/Tamar estuary.  The diversion chamber will improve the way we manage the flow of sewage and stormwater to the Margaret Street Pump Station and onto the Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Plant.

New Pipeline Project – This transformative pipeline project, which is one of the largest infrastructure projects of its type in the southern hemisphere, will increase our capacity to transfer sewage and stormwater, significantly reducing the frequency and volume of overflow events.

Construction involves installing a large pipeline which will be laid up to 40 metres under the estuary riverbed.  In October we began drilling activities near at our Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Plant at Invermay and Valley Street, Trevallyn.

We’ve also established our construction site along the western foreshore where we are having the large pipes delivered and stored.

New Margaret Street Pump Station Upgrade Project – In September we began works on this project.  The project will involve increasing the pumping capacity (by installing new pumps) from Margaret Street to our Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Facility. 



City of Launceston Engineers Visit to Margaret Street Pump Station

 

Upcoming Works

 

Esplanade/St John Street rising main pipeline upgrade 
Design complete | construction completed November 2022

Margaret Street diversion works 
Design complete | construction completed September 2023

New Pipeline Project - Rising main pipeline from Margaret Street Sewage Pump Station to Ti TreeBend Sewage Treatment Plant
Design commenced |construction commenced October 2023
Scheduled for completion mid 2024

Margaret Street Sewage Pump Station upgrade
Design completed | construction commenced October 2023
Scheduled for completion mid 2024

10 megalitre covered storage at Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Plant and improvements to the incoming rising main pipelines
Design commenced | construction scheduled 2024

TERHAP Projects

We will be delivering a number of projects to improve the efficiency of our combined sewage and stormwater network.  For further information on TERHAP related projects please click on the links below.

TERHAP - St John Street Pump Station Upgrade

TERHAP - Margaret Street Diversion Project

TERHAP - New Sewer Pipeline Projects

Project Videos

TasWater 

New Sewer Pipeline Project

Margaret Street Diversion Project timelapse

TERHAP flow monitoring survey video from June 2021

Geotechnical investigations in the North Esk River

St John Street pipeline works video from December 2021

TasWater's Andrew Truscott speaking at the NRM North Tamar Forum in October 2021

NRM North

NRM North has developed four short videos to highlight the works being done through the Catchment Works Program to reduce pathogens entering kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary.

NRM River Health Action Plan - Catchment Works Videos

Tamar Estuary and Esk Rivers (TEER) Program - Natural values video series

The TEER Program has produced a series of eight videos and fact sheets that uncover some of the natural values of the kanamaluka/Tamar estuary and its catchment, and how these enhance the ways in which local communities interact with the waterways.

TEER Natural values video series

TEER Natural values fact sheets

Have a question?

For the latest information about TasWater projects and news please visit our website regularly and follow us on social media:

Facebook @TasWater Bob Goldfish 

Instagram @ TasWater (@tas_water)

Youtube @TasWater - YouTube

Twitter @ TasWater (@Tas_Water)

If you would like to connect with one of our Community & Stakeholder Engagement team members about a project happening near you, please email [email protected] or call 13 6992.

Join our mailing list to keep up to date with the TERHAP project

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