Mac Point sewage plant on the move as TasWater lodges Selfs Point development application

The long-awaited relocation of Hobart’s Macquarie Point wastewater treatment plant to Selfs Point has moved a step closer, with TasWater lodging a DA with the City of Hobart.

The sewerage works at Macquarie Point.

The long-awaited relocation of Hobart’s Macquarie Point wastewater treatment plant has moved a step closer, with TasWater lodging a development application for the upgrade of its Selfs Point facility.

The decommissioning of the Macquarie Point sewage complex is a key plank in allow large-scale development at the prime waterfront site - including construction of the Tasmanian Government’s proposed multipurpose stadium.

TasWater’s general manager of project delivery, Tony Willmott, said upgrading the Selfs Point sewage treatment plant would help future-proof Hobart’s wastewater infrastructure, and provide positive community and environmental benefits for decades to come.

“The new plant at Selfs Point will be built to last 100 years and it’s the centrepiece of the future of wastewater management and resource recovery for Greater Hobart,” Mr Willmott said.

“It provides the capacity we need to move forward with our long-term goal of rationalising a number of older treatment plants in the region, with the first of these being at Macquarie Point.”

Macquarie Point site.

Mr Willmott said the project would result in better outcomes for the River Derwent, and accommodate the long-term population growth of the capital.

The upgrades to the Selfs Point plant are forecast to remove 153 tonnes of nitrogen, 31 tonnes of phosphorus, and 120 tonnes of biochemical oxygen demand from the Derwent each year.

The new precinct will also offer opportunities to increase the amount of recycled water for urban greening and industrial use, and to create renewable energy from waste.

“The lodgement of the DA brings us a step closer to putting shovels in the ground and getting cranes in the sky at Selfs Point,” Mr Willmott said.

“Throughout our detailed design process, we have focused on maximising the potential of the upgraded plant to support our environment and climate change strategies.

“This work has culminated in the inclusion of a Selfs Point Resource Recovery precinct which will deliver environmental and climate change benefits, as well as increasing the role TasWater can play in the circular economy.”

The Selfs Point project shapes as the largest individual sewerage upgrade in TasWater’s history, and create job opportunities across multiple sectors of the state’s construction industry.

Last year, more than 80 per cent of TasWater’s expenditure was directed to local Tasmanian businesses.

“As we move forward into the project preparation and early works phases, we will be inviting the community to come and see our plans for Selfs Point, talk with our project teams and hear about our vision for the precinct,” Mr Willmott said.

TasWater plans to invest $1.5 billion in its water and sewerage network over the next five years.

Originally published as Mac Point sewage plant on the move as TasWater lodges Selfs Point development application