The North Eastern Tasmanian towns of Gladstone and Herrick have received new custom-built modular water treatment plants, delivered from the factory floor in Launceston.
The plants are part of TasWater’s multi-million dollar project to remove all public health alerts on drinking water systems in regional towns of Tasmania.
Gladstone will start receiving treated drinking water in the coming weeks with nearby Herrick soon to follow.
TasWater will undertake a program of testing to ensure the treated water from the new plants meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, before the Department of Health and Human Services can lift the Boil Water Alerts that currently affect those towns.
TasWater contractor TRILITY, with its partner Hydramet, have completed the construction of three of the seven plants to come out of the factory.
The plants were crane lifted onto low loader trucks in the Launceston factory before being escorted to the sites.
An 85 tonne crane on the Gladstone site lifted the new water treatment plant in late February 2018, with plumbing and installation taking place before it can begin producing water.
Construction continues in the factory on the water treatment plants for Cornwall, Mathinna, Rossarden and Bronte Park which will be delivered in the coming months.
TasWater CEO, Mike Brewster, is pleased the first three plants will have been delivered to site by the beginning of March 2018.
“Wayatinah, Gladstone and Herrick have now received water treatment plants made in the factory in Launceston with the rest of the plants to be rolled out in the coming months,” Mr Brewster said.
Production continues in a Stornoway facility in Glenorchy on the water treatment plants set to supply Fentonbury/Westerway, Maydena and National Park.
New water infrastructure, including extended mains pipelines, is also under construction in the regional towns statewide.
“The plants manufactured in the Prospect facility as well as the other infrastructure in the towns, once completed, will treat the drinking supply for over 600 TasWater customers,” Mr Brewster said.
“We are on track to delivering this safe, treated drinking water to the tap in the regional towns by the end of August this year.”
