TasWater’s new water treatment plant near Lady Barron is now undergoing commissioning and will provide fully treated water to the town’s’ residents.
The treatment facility, located just off Lady Barron Road, will continue to draw its water from the existing bore field, as well as from five new bores that have been installed to meet future demand.
Currently, water supplied to Lady Barron needs to be boiled before it is consumed.
After the commissioning process is complete, boiling will no longer be required as water produced by the new water treatment plant will meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
The treated water will initially be pumped to a storage reservoir at Vinegar Hill and then fed by gravity to the township of Lady Barron. A new reservoir, adjacent to the existing storage facility, is also in the planning phase.
While the plant is already producing treated water, it must go through a rigorous commissioning process over several weeks before the Department of Health and Human Services will remove Lady Barron’s boil water alert.
TasWater CEO Michael Brewster says fully treated water will bring many benefits to the Flinders Island community of Lady Barron.
“Not only will residents no longer have to boil their drinking water but the town will be able to provide visitors to Flinders Island with water they can drink directly from the tap with confidence,” Mr Brewster said.
“The upgraded water system will also provide a good basis on which the Island can build and expand tourism and other business.”