DERWENT STILL OFF MENU

THE River Derwent might never be clean enough to safely eat all types of seafood from.

Despite the health of the river slowly improving, Derwent Estuary Program chief executive Ursula Taylor it was unlikely all seafood would be safe enough to eat. Ms Taylor said science had shown the river’s quality had improved during the past 20 years.

In the past 12 months two major sewage spills from the Macquarie Point treatment plant had poured millions of litres of wastewater into the river.

THE River Derwent’s health is on the up but it may never be clean enough to safely eat all types of seafood taken from it.

A signing ceremony was held yesterday for the fourth Derwent Estuary Program Partnership Agreement in what is the program’s 20th year.

Industry executives from Nyrstar, TasWater, Tasports and Hydro Tasmania were joined for the signing ceremony yesterday by mayors from six southern Tasmanian councils along with Derwent Estuary Program chief executive Ursula Taylor and Environment Minister Peter Gutwein.

Ms Taylor said science has shown the river’s quality has improved over the past 20 years. In the last 12 months two major sewage spills from the Macquarie Point treatment plant has poured millions of litres of treated but unchlorinated wastewater into the city’s major waterway.

Heavy metal levels in the river’s sea life has long been monitored by operators of Hobart’s zinc smelter.

“Since 1999 more than $200 million has been spent by Derwent Estuary Program partners towards environmental improvements,” Ms Taylor said.

“The Derwent is showing promising signs of recovery. During the past two decades, there have been substantial reductions in discharges of organic matter, heavy metals, and sewage-derived nutrients, as well as improvements in stormwater treatment.”

The Derwent Estuary Program advises against the eating of the river’s shellfish and bream and suggests limited consumption of flathead.

Ms Taylor said despite improvements in water quality, the chance of one day being able to eat all types of seafood from the river was unlikely.

Mr Gutwein said it’s a goal of the Government to keep improving the river’s quality.

“Our environment is one of our greatest assets and the Hodgman majority Liberal Government is committed to safeguarding it and improving it into the future so that Tasmanians and visitors alike can share in its benefits,” he said.

“The Derwent Estuary Program is a great example of what can be achieved when governments, industry and the community work together for a common purpose.”

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff praised the work of the Derwent Estuary Program but said it “needs to guard against the threat of increased nutrients entering the river”.

“Peter Gutwein must also amend the Environment Management and Pollution Control Act to give the EPA the power to independently monitor industrial and government operations.”