Tasmanian family farm halted by overloaded sewage plant and PFAS pollution

Kate Tucker's fifth-generation farm near Launceston is idle because a nearby sewage plant is operating far beyond capacity and the property tests positive for PFAS chemicals.

For the first time in five generations, Kate Tucker's family farm, known as The Springs, cannot operate because a nearby sewage treatment plant is overwhelmed and the land is polluted with PFAS chemicals. The Western Junction plant, owned by TasWater, receives all sewage from the Launceston Airport and discharges it into a creek that runs through the property, despite handling three times its intended daily volume. PFAS, linked to health risks, were found in the farm's water, preventing its use for agriculture or quarrying.

The facility is not regulated by the EPA, leaving oversight to the Northern Midlands Council, which has yet to issue an environmental protection notice. TasWater's chief scientist Graham Hawke said the plant relies on natural processes and plans minor upgrades, but a full decommissioning is not slated for ten years. Environmental campaigner Lucy Tremain and Northern Midlands Mayor Mary Knowles are calling for higher standards and faster action, while Water Minister Gavin Pearce declined comment.