Sewage spill hits oyster harvest

AN OYSTER farmer hit by a raw sewage leak says he will be unable to harvest up to 30,000 dozen oysters he had planned to sell in the lead-up to Christmas.

Heavy and unexpected rainfall on Friday caused a TasWater pump station to overflow and leak raw sewage at Pittwater.

The Bilney St pump station at Richmond was so overwhelmed that, at one point, it was underwater.

The overflow has forced Pittwater oyster farms to close for three weeks and has made current stocks unsuitable for consumption.

In total, the effluent overflow will mean about 80,000 dozen oysters farmed in the Pittwater area cannot be sold.

Josh Poke, of Estuarine Oyster Company, said his business usually sold 20 per cent of its stock in the preChristmas period, with most going to mainland buyers.

Testing will have to be done before harvesting can recommence.

“The oysters are currently in their reproductive period and it will probably be four to eight months before they recover,” Mr Poke said.

He said oyster growers could have a case for compensation from TasWater for the loss of earnings.

Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the overflow was another sign that urgent investment was needed in Taswater’s infrastructure.

Mr Rockliff said a similar incident happened three years ago and a recurrence was a cruel blow for an industry already struggling due to Pacific oyster mortality syndrome.

“We need to ensure a lack of investment does not send seafood businesses to the wall,” he said.

The State Government’s Bill to take over TasWater from the state’s councils recently failed.

TasWater’s Bennie Smith said the corporation had invested heavily in the infrastructure around Pittwater.

“Even though these spills occurred, they were delayed and reduced as a result,” Mr Smith said.

“A number of projects to further upgrade the infrastructure are already under way.”