Mole Creek water supply upgrades
October 2015
Mole Creek residents can look forward to receiving treated
water in the future thanks to a project to upgrade their water
supply. The upgrade project will see construction of a new
water treatment plant and associated infrastructure to supply
Mole Creek residents with water that meets Australian
Drinking Water Guidelines.
The first step in the upgrade is construction of a $4 million
water treatment plant (WTP), which will be built downstream
of the existing water intake weir south west of Mole Creek
township. The plant will have a back-up power source on site,
ensuring water supply continues in the event of local
emergencies, such as power outages or a bushfire.
The WTP will be equipped with ultraviolet light and chlorine
systems for disinfection. By combining both these
www.taswater.com.au | Phone: 13 6992
technologies, the reliance on chlorine for disinfection can
be reduced.
Along with building the water treatment plant, the water
supply upgrade includes improvements to the existing
reticulation network and decommissioning of the existing
water reservoir.
TasWater will also be investigating water loss within the
network to ensure it works as designed when we commission
the new WTP and delivers a supply that meets TasWater’s
customer service standards.
The water supply upgrade will see Mole Creek connected to a
fully treated and more reliable water supply, bringing benefits
to residents, businesses and the tourism industry.
Mole Creek water supply upgrades FAQ
I have been drinking the water for years and
nothing is wrong with me. Why do we need
treated water?
Water quality testing has shown the water supply in Mole
Creek has regularly failed to meet Australian Drinking Water
Guidelines. Due to this, the Department of Health and
Human Services applied a Public Health Alert to the Mole
Creek drinking water supply.
Certain people may be able to stomach the water just fine,
however, we are in charge of ensuring we deliver a safe
drinking water supply to the whole community, including
those that may be vulnerable to bacteria such as the elderly
and infants.
Why am I charged for water but other properties
in Mole Creek are not?
TasWater is undertaking a project to identify properties that
receive a water supply but are currently unmetered.
What is TasWater doing to reduce the amount of
chlorine required in the treatment process?
TasWater will be utilising ultraviolet (UV) light as a
disinfection method at the treatment plant. The combination
of UV treatment and chlorine will reduce the reliance on
chlorine for disinfection.
What happens in the event of a bushfire or total
power outage?
The water treatment plant will be equipped with a backup
power supply to ensure the plant remains operational during
a power outage or bushfire.
In the event of a bushfire, liquid chlorine will be contained
within a concrete bund until it can be removed. The plant
is fitted with a suite of alarms so that if the water treatment
process is affected, staff are alerted and can operate the plant
remotely to ensure the surety of supply.
The nature of how some networks were set up means that
historical data is insufficient and some connections are
unknown. TasWater is working to identify all the connections
in Mole Creek and ensure a fair system where every property
contributes to maintenance of the system and pays for the
water they use.
If you remove the reservoir, what will that do to
the pressure in the network?
We are currently investigating the water supply network in
Mole Creek. Initial reports show that pressure reducing valves
may be needed to control pressure in the network. The exact
details of upgrades to the network will be known as the
investigation project progresses.
TasWater is committed to supplying Mole Creek with water
that consistently meets service requirements in relation to flow
and pressure.
TasWater is committed to keeping you informed on the upgrade project as it progresses.
To find out more information about the project, please visit www.yoursay.taswater.com.au/mole-creek-watersupply-upgrades, phone (03) 6422 5422 or email [email protected].
www.taswater.com.au | Phone: 13 6992