Federal Government asked to intervene in wastewater pipeline plan

A request has been made for the Federal Government to intervene in a controversial plan to build a pipeline which will pump treated sewage from Blackmans Bay to a proposed golf course at Arm End Reserve.

THE Federal Government has been asked to intervene in a controversial plan to build a pipeline which will pump treated sewage from Blackmans Bay to a proposed golf course at Arm End Reserve.

Clarence City Council voted in favour of the $3.5 million pipe 8-3 earlier this week.

The Tasmanian Conservation Trust and Re Imagine The End have today condemned the council’s approval of the development, which it says will involve drilling under a population of endangered spotted handfish during breeding season.

TCT director Peter McClone has written to Canberra asking the Federal Government to step in to protect the species.

Clarence Mayor Doug Chipman said the spotted handfish would not be impacted. Picture: SUPPLIED

Clarence Mayor Doug Chipman has disputed that statement, saying protection of the handfish had been raised in the planning application and there was a requirement that the breeding season was not interrupted and its habitat not impacted on.

The groups have also raised concerns the wastewater will post a health risks to walkers in the popular reserve.

“The effluent is proposed to be used to irrigate the long-delayed (first permitted in March, 2013) Arm End golf course fairways which the proponent’s consultants said made up 40 per cent of the 116ha reserve,” the two groups said in a joint statement.

“The current and proposed new walking tracks go through the planned fairways.

“The consultants also said that public access to irrigated areas may need to be prohibited between 10pm and 6am and golf course workers would need regular Hepatitis A and B vaccinations.

“Walkers would need to be prepared to risk getting sprayed by the effluent if they want to continue walking in the reserve.”

The 6.8km pipe will be built by the golf course developers and connect Class B recycled water from TasWater’s Blackmans Bay treatment plant across the River Derwent to irrigate the Arm End public recreation reserve and South Arm farms and properties.

The proposal received 83 representations, with concerns including lack of detail, noise and environmental impact.

Re Imagine The End founder Robyn McNicol and Aboriginal Heritage community member Rocky Sainty at the site of the proposed development. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Arm End has signed an MOU with TasWater to build the pipe and the golf course is scheduled to open in 2020-21.

Re Imagine The End founder Robyn McNicol said the council should have required the irrigation to be entirely underground or the water treated to a safe level.

“RITE had an alternative vision for the reserve — one which respects and protects the Aboriginal cultural landscape, historical and natural heritage,” Ms McNicol said.

“We think this place is of state significance and should be cultural coastal walking destination.”