THERE are fears untreated sewage could cause disease and illness as it flows through land in Grassy despite years of lobbying to have the issue fixed.
Owners of King Island Holiday Village in Grassy Ian Johnson and Lucinda Dengerink have had a stinky problem with sewerage pipes for years. The pair say the matter was first reported six years ago.
No matter how many times they take the matter up with TasWater the response has been the same: “The pipes are being replaced and work will start this week, or next or the following week,” or words to that effect. Their problem is that untreated sewage is coming down the hill, under and around their tourist accommodation and the sewage is dispersed across the land.
Mr Johnson has reported this to TasWater regularly over the past six years. He said adding to this ongoing problem was that the required clean-up processes have not occurred as requested and required. Some issues on King Island take a long time to be resolved, often years, particularly when the fixes are the responsibility of an off-island government instrumentality. Mr Johnson is concerned on many levels.
“I worry about disease and whether the issue will grow with the increase in Grassy population,” he said. “The solid masses accumulate and block the pipes, and this will keep building up. “The pipes need to be replaced and upgraded. The solid waste is just dumped, and I worry about the contaminated soil. “There was meant to be an ocean outlet at the bottom of the hill when the treatment plant was built. “The solid waste and toilet paper is clearly visible. All it will take is illness or a comment online from a visitor and there’s another blow to the business and possibly to others in the island’s tourism sector.”
King Island Council has confirmed that is has also made TasWater aware of this ongoing problem. The council’s development services coordinator Robyn Barwick said she had reminded TasWater of their responsibilities. Ms Barwick said the pipes required replacement and TasWater representatives had advised council that the problem was due to root blockages, and they were waiting on the pipes to come to the island.
TasWater was contacted for comment.