Sewage leak sees ‘toilet paper, tampons, you name it’ at and around Risdon Prison

UPDATE: TasWater teams have been on site since the early hours today monitoring the “complex issue” of repeat flooding and sewage leaks at Risdon Prison and surrounding areas. LATEST >

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UPDATE:

TASWATER has said teams have been on site since the early hours today monitoring the “complex issue” of repeat flooding and sewage leaks at Risdon Prison and surrounding areas.

A spokeswoman said the incident was caused by storm water inundation from wet weather, but did not pose a risk to public health.

She said overflow has occurred inside the prison grounds and affected Lantana Rd and Grasstree Hill Creek.

“We have pump trucks in place and signage to divert people away from the area,” she said.

“Once the rain stops we will undertake a clean-up of the affected areas.”

Risdon Prison. Picture: Zak Simmonds

A local resident has said similar events have happened “every time we get heavy rainfalls” over the last year, labelling TasWater’s works on the matter as a bandaid solution.

The TasWater spokeswoman said the “complex issue” would take “some time” to fix.

“Our teams are reviewing a number of engineering options in order to create a long-term solution and expect to have short-listed options by the beginning of next year.”

EARLIER:

A RISDON resident has said a sewage leak today is the latest in a series of similar incidents, with fears prison inmates might be at risk of infection.

Resident Kelly Hogan said over the last year, flooding and sewage leaks have become common in the area surrounding Risdon Prison.

“It happens every time we get heavy rainfalls,” he said.

“Sewerage, toilet paper, tampons – you name it, it’s out on the ground.”

Mr Hogan woke up today after rainfall continued from yesterday into this morning to find Grasstree Hill Creek and Lantana Rd were “pumping” with brown sewage near a walking track.

Mr Hogan feared for the health and safety inmates at the new 140-bed Prison Remand Centre and said the muck had flowed towards the Aboriginal Children’s Centre.

The resident saw a manhole on prison grounds overflowing with sewage covering an area about 80m long.

He said the gushing Grasstree Hill Creek often hosted ducks, native hens and rabbits among other species.

Imagery from a recent pollution incident at the usually crystal clear Plenty River. Source: SUPPLIED.

“The smell’s not so bad here because it washes down the creek,” he said.

Mr Hogan said TasWater needed to implement a plan to stem the problem in the long-term.

“I rang TasWater yesterday,” he said.

“They usually chuck dirt over it, put a bandaid on it for the next time.”

Mr Hogan said he understoodhouses from a new subdivision near Sugarloaf Rd were hooked up to the overflowing sewerage system.

The heavy rainfall could cause ongoing problems as the Bureau of Meteorology issues flood warnings to hit the state from Thursday.

The incident comes about a week after residents raised concerns over sludge and pollution affecting the Salmon Ponds and Plenty River in the Derwent Valley.

TasWater and the Department of Justice have been contacted for comment.