Environmental and public health monitoring

Sewage treatment monitoring

TasWater works to monitor and manage the performance of all sewage treatment plants.  This includes regular monitoring and testing at scheduled sites in accordance with approved management plans.

To protect public health and the environment, TasWater works with councils and state government agencies to ensure compliance to the following legislative requirements:

  • Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA)
  • Land Use Planning Approvals Act 1993
  • Public Health Act 1997

In addition to monitoring the performance of our sewage treatment plants, TasWater also undertakes ambient monitoring programs to better understand our environment and to manage possible impacts of effluent discharges.

Water quality results

In Tasmania, the management of drinking Water is regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Public Health Act 1997 and the Drinking Water Quality Guidelines 2005.  These Tasmanian Guidelines also refer to the National Health and Medical Research Council's Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.  TasWater reports annual to the Department of Health and Human Services against the requirements set in the Australian Water Guidelines.

What is PFAS?

PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of human-made chemicals that have been widely used in industrial and consumer products since the mid-1900s. The Australian Government’s Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth) continues to recommend exposure to PFAS be minimised wherever possible. 

TasWater monitors PFAS levels across all of our raw water catchments that supply our 58 Drinking Water Systems, conducting more than 5,500 tests since May 2024. Throughout this period, no exceedances of health-based ADWG limits have been recorded.

A 2024 fact sheet on PFAS is available at the Water Services Association of Australia website.

TasWater has developed the below collection of fact sheets, designed to provide clear, accessible information about PFAS.

Biosolids

Drinking water

Effluent 

Raw water 

Recycled water

Water testing

Water quality monitoring

TasWater operates under the Water and Sewerage Industry Act 2008 and we are subject to economic, environmental, public health and water rights regulation by the state government.

Our monitoring program includes:

  • collection in excess of 250,000 samples annually across our drinking water systems
  • automated monitoring, which is being expanded
  • maintaining and expanding our quality management systems*

TasWater applies HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) standards which are the international standards developed by the World Health Organisation

Water quality testing is completed by laboratories accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), including TasWater's own NATA accredited laboratory.

 

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