22 Dec 2024
Update on Cameron Bay Sewage Treatment Plant
"Last week, high strength trade waste above allowable limits was discharged to our Cameron Bay Sewage Treatment Plant by Mondelez International, significantly impacting its performance.
Unfortunately, due to the high strength of the waste the bacteria at the plant were wiped out, effectively taking the plant offline.
We ceased accepting trade waste from Mondelez and our team worked around the clock late last week and through the weekend to get the plant back up and running.
On Saturday we reseeded the plant with the bacteria required for treatment, which was trucked in from our Blackmans Bay plant.
The plant is now treating wastewater again and will continue to improve in the coming days, and we are confident there is no longer a public health risk to downstream users of the river.
It's pleasing that along with testing results from beaches in the area, this has given the Director ofPublic Health Dr Mark Veitch confidence to remove the no swim advice for the Derwent aside from one localised issue at the western end of Bellerive Beach.
We remain in ongoing and collaborative discussions with Mondelez on its waste treatment solutions and until we can be confident in its ability to discharge compliant waste, we will continue not to accept trade waste from the Claremont site."
Information for swimmers
Public Health Services will then issue updates on this matter on their website. Use the link below to find the latest news.
Click here to visit www.health.tas.gov.au/news