30 Jan 2025
Water quality testing clear so far for West Coast town
TasWater continues to test water quality at its Tullah Water Treatment Plant, following an oil spill in the nearby Lake Rosebery earlier this month.
TasWater Incident Controller Matt Jordan said the impact to the water catchment had been assessed in collaboration with the EPA and Department of Health.
“Multiple intake water samples taken from the site have not detected any contamination so far,” Mr Jordan said.
“Fortunately, our intake is approximately 26 metres below the surface and some distance from the shore, while the oil is floating on the surface of the water around the shoreline.
“Until we can restart the plant, homes and businesses in Tullah will continue to receive water through our carting process and will continue to not notice any difference in their water supply.
“We always encourage water conservation, but it’s especially important while we are carting and recommencing our treatment processes.”
Mr Jordan said water quality testing will be ongoing, with the intention to demonstrate the safety of resuming production of drinking water from the Tullah Treatment Plant.
“Our focus remains on ensuring the safety and reliability of water supplies for our customers and working with all parties until the situation is fully resolved,” he said.