Water Governance and Regulation

State and Local Government

The Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW) is responsible for the regulation and management of all freshwater resources in the State. DPIW plays a leading role in the sustainable development and conservation of Tasmania's water resources including:

• water quality management
• water quantity management through the Water Management Act 1999.

Water can be taken from a river or stream or stored in a farm dam for commercial purposes, however a licence must be obtained from the Department of Primary Industries and Water.  

The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for the regulation of drinking water quality with relation to the Water Quality Guidelines given under the Public Health Act 1997.

The Tasmanian Irrigation Development Board, appointed in March 2008, has expertise in the delivery of major infrastructure projects and will provide the drive and governance needed to deliver a major suite of water infrastructure projects, primarily the eleven proposed irrigation schemes.

The Environment Division within the Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts is responsible for the regulation of large wastewater treatment plants under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Ac t 1994, while individual councils are responsible for the regulation of smaller wastewater treatment plants and on-site waste systems.

The Tasmanian Government's SMARTFarming Water Initiative, through the SMART Farming policy, recognises the vital role of the farming sector in the Tasmanian economy and provides ongoing support in the form of funding for a variety of programs.

Effluent re-use and trade waste

A number of industrial commercial users pump trade waste directly into council sewerage systems. Council requires such waste to be managed by properly designed systems and products for the collection and treatment of trade waste.

Information on sewerage and wastewater management is available from the Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts.

Local government currently has the lead role in managing water and waste in Tasmania by providing:

• reticulated drinking water to homes and businesses
• water quality tests both for drinking water and recreational waters
• storm water systems together with natural waterways
• catchment planning
• fire protection through provision of hydrants in the water supply system
• water reuse schemes on parks, gardens, sportsgrounds, and for commercial and agricultural uses
• storm water systems together with natural waterways
• sewerage systems to remove domestic sewage and other industrial water
• sewage treatment
• monitoring for sewage plants and minor point source pollution.

However, local and state governments are working together to implement the structural reform of Tasmania's water and sewerage sector through the establishment of three local government-owned regional corporations in the northern, north-western and southern areas of the State, and a fourth common services corporation to provide shared services to the regional corporations. These new corporations are expected to commence operations on 1 July 2009.

An Implementation Joint Steering Committee consisting of both State and Local Government is overseeing and co-ordinating the transitional phase of the new structural arrangements, and is playing a key part in managing the implementation of reform in the State's water and sewerage sector. More information on both structural and regulatory reform in the sector is available from the 'Water and Sewerage Infrastructure Review' section of the Treasury website.