To protect the wellbeing of our residents, we have an extensive range of public health programs and services. These include providing information on seafood safety, drinking water and mould.
We are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of legislation to meet our statutory public health and environmental health obligations.
Looking for information on our immunisation clinic?
Clean drinking water is very important to stop people getting sick.
Tasmanian water quality is governed by the Tasmanian Drinking Water Guidelines, which provide a reference on what defines safe, good-quality water, how it can be achieved and how it can be assured. They support the principles, management practices, preventive measures and guideline values contained in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
View more information on the Tasmanian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines 2015.
Your drinking water
Responsibility for your drinking water depends on where your water comes from.
- If you are on mains water, you should contact TasWater about your water quality on 13MYWATER (136992). View more on mains water and treated water supplies.
- If you drink from a rainwater tank, dam or bore you may need to make sure your own water is safe to drink. View more on rural water supplies.
- If you get your water from a private water supplier, you can get information from them. Private water suppliers must be registered with Council. View more on private water suppliers.
- If you get your water from a commercial water carrier, you should contact us. Water carriers must be registered with Council. View more on commercial water carriers.
Becoming a water supplier
To register as a water supplier you will need complete an application form and pay a fee.
View more PDF information
- private water supplier application form (PDF)
- commercial water carrier registration form (PDF)
- Schedule of Fees and Changes document (PDF)
Before you eat anything that has come from the River Derwent, please check all current safety information.
Shellfish
There are public health alerts for eating wild shellfish in Tasmania. You should check these alerts before eating shellfish you have caught yourself. Remember: cooking does not make the shellfish safe to eat.
View more information:
Fish
Some fish caught in the River Derwent and Browns River contain high amounts of mercury.
To find out what is safe to eat, view the Derwent Estuary Program PDF fact sheet: Should I eat shellfish and fish from the Derwent?
Mould can release spores that can cause health problems, especially for people with asthma. If you can smell mould, you should look for it in dark, damp areas.
Removing mould
To clean mouldy areas you should wear rubber gloves, goggles and an N-95 mask (you can buy them at hardware stores). Use a vinegar solution of 8 parts vinegar to 2 parts water (i.e. make a 500ml solution with 400ml vinegar with 100ml water). Leave for 20 minutes, and then lightly sponge with clean water. Alternatively, you can use a 3% tea tree oil solution (i.e. two teaspoons tea tree oil in two cups of water in a spray bottle).
Do not dry brush the area as it can release spores into the air and do not use bleach.
Note: Consider professional cleaning on valuable or important items as the above cleaning methods may cause damage to some surfaces.
Preventing mould
To stop mould, you need to control moisture. This means drying wet surfaces, and reducing humidity and condensation in your house. Household humidity should be 30–50%, and you can buy a humidity meter at the hardware store to measure it. Dehumidifiers can be used in rooms where there is a problem.
- Ventilation: open windows to allow ventilation. Use bathroom fans when showering, and exhaust fans when cooking. Vent appliances that produce moisture, such as clothes dryers, to the outside if possible.
- Heating: dry heating will reduce moisture. Continuous low level heating is better than short bursts of high heat. Open curtains to allow lots of sunlight into your home, and consider installing skylights in darker areas.
- General household maintenance: ongoing maintenance to fix leaks and prevent moisture problems is important. Ensure weep holes are not blocked (weep holes help dry out internal wall cavities). Weep holes are also on aluminium window frames so water does not pool in the lower part. Ensure seals are intact on doors, windows and in wet areas. Cut back overhanging trees above the roof, and ensure garden beds slope away from the house to allow water to runoff.