Michael Ferguson,Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Roger Jaensch, Minister for Environment,Paul Fletcher, Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
The $536 million Launceston City Deal continues to deliver for the Launceston community with work underway on St John Street to improve the health of the kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary.
TasWater has commenced upgrade works to the St John Street Sewer Rising Main as part of the Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan (TERHAP), which is an initiative of the Launceston City Deal.
The upgrade is a key project identified for accelerated works under the Plan and will increase transfer rates during rain events and help to divert sewage and stormwater away from the kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary.
TasWater Capital Delivery Office Planning and Investigation Group Leader Andrew Truscott said the works involved installing a new rising main.
"The upgrade will lead to increased pumping rates from the St John Street Sewage Pump Station and the new 450-millimetre diameter pipeline will be able to transfer greater sewage and stormwater flows to the Ti Tree Bend Sewage Treatment Plant," he said.
The project is being delivered by Tasmanian based Batchelor Civil Contracting.
Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the Australian Government was proud to invest in improving the health of the Tamar River as part of the Launceston City Deal.
"By improving the health of this important waterway, we are helping to support the health of everyone in Launceston who uses it," Minister Fletcher said.
Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Michael Ferguson, said the Tasmanian Government was fully committed to improving the health of the kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary and seeing long term improvements delivered.
"Improving the health of the estuary is a key project which will help Launceston become one of Australia's most innovative and liveable regional cities for generations to come," Minister Ferguson said.
Tasmanian Minister for State Growth, Roger Jaensch, said projects like this showed the benefit of the Launceston City Deal for tackling long term important issues.
"The long term partnership of the Launceston City Deal enables issues of critical importance to the local community be addressed over the life of the Deal allowing benefits be released for future generations," Minister Jaensch said.
City of Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said he was delighted with the scope of work being undertaken through the Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan.
"Through the TERHAP and the broader City Deal funding, we have seen a significant improvement in the water quality of the estuary and this latest project to divert sewage and stormwater from entering the river is just another step on that journey of creating a healthier river for all," Mayor van Zetten said.
"I commend TasWater on identifying this project under their accelerated works program and look forward to further improvements over the coming months and years."
The St John Street Rising Main works are scheduled to be completed in early 2022.
