Permanent boil water alerts
In limited cases, TasWater customers outside of our serviced land area may be connected to a water supply pipeline before the water receives adequate treatment. An example is a connection to the untreated supply pipeline between a river or dam intake point and the water treatment plant. These are legacy arrangements that were put in place prior to the formation of TasWater, and customers in these situations have been placed on a Limited Service/Quality Contract. This means that there are some restrictions on the safe use of the water supplied to your property.
In these circumstances, water to the home will either require boiling before it can be consumed, or in some cases is not suitable for consumption. TasWater notifies these customers, in writing, of the water quality restrictions on their properties on a quarterly basis.
If you are unsure if a property that you own or rent is affected, please contact TasWater on 136 992 to verify the quality of water you receive.
Temporary boil water alerts
From time to time, TasWater may issue temporary boil water notices in response to short-term water quality issues. These are different from permanent arrangements and are issued only when there is a specific risk to public health.
Temporary boil water notices are precautionary public health measures designed to protect you if testing or operational monitoring indicates the water may not meet safety standards.
Common reasons a temporary notice may be issued include:
- E. coli or other bacteria detected in treated water
- Treatment system interruptions or failures, such as disinfection equipment malfunction
- Infrastructure damage due to storms, flooding, or power outages
- Contamination risks identified during maintenance or emergency repairs
When these incidents occur, TasWater immediately works to investigate and resolve the issue, while keeping customers informed every step of the way.