Sewage is spilling into the River Derwent after a waste treatment plant in Hobart’s northern suburbs “failed”.
The contamination incident near Berridale prompted a late-night public health warning from the Department of Health just after 10pm on Thursday.
According to TasWater, the spill was caused by high-strength trade waste being discharged from the Mondelez Claremont Cadbury factory.
TasWater’s General Manager of Customer and Community Matt Balfe said the waste coming into the Cameron Bay plant from Mondelez was “significantly above compliance levels”.
“We have been working with Mondelez over the last three weeks in an effort to bring them into compliance and address the deterioration in performance we have been seeing at our plant,” he said.
“Unfortunately, due to the high strength of the waste the bacteria at the plant have been wiped out, effectively taking the plant offline.”
“We will cease accepting this high strength trade waste from Mondelez and our team is working around the clock to get the plant back up and running.”
Public Health Director Dr Mark Veitch is urging people to avoid becoming ‘fully immersed’ in the river through activities like swimming.
He said people should stay out of the 20km stretch of water from Austins Ferry and Old Beach in the north to Sandy Bay and Howrah in the south.
“Sewage in water used for recreational activities like swimming poses a risk to health from viruses and bacteria,” Veitch said.
“These risks can include gastroenteritis (diarrhoea or vomiting) and infections of the skin, ears or eyes.”
The “deliberately cautious” warning will remain in place until water testing confirms the safety of swimming sites.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and TasWater are managing the incident.
