The Lake Rosebery closure will be extended until 11:59pm on Friday 21 February to allow ongoing oil spill clean-up efforts. 

Over the coming week there will be a focussed effort on removing oil from priority areas with the aim of returning lake activity to normal as soon as possible. 

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) transferred responsibility for recovery efforts to lake owner Hydro Tasmania on Friday 7 February last week, with the EPA continuing to provide advice and support. 

Hydro Tasmania's Head of Major Works Justin Vandervelde said the community’s support had allowed clean-up efforts to progress smoothly. 

“We would like to thank the Tullah community for their ongoing patience and understanding as we carry out this complex operation,” Mr Vandervelde said. 

“The interagency effort has made great progress but there is still work to do.” 

Boats and manual shoreline cleaning are being used to remove oil residue from 26 kilometres of affected shoreline. 

TasWater Incident Controller Matt Jordan said water quality testing at the Tullah Water Treatment Plant shows the water is safe to drink, despite the need to extend the lake closure. 

“Our intake is approximately 26 metres below the water surface and some distance from the shore, meaning the intake water is protected from contamination,” said Mr Jordan. 

“Multiple water samples taken from the site have not detected any contamination, and additional testing will continue to provide reassurance for our community.” 

The EPA’s formal investigation is ongoing and it is anticipated it will be finalised later this year.  

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Released for Hydro Tasmania by Louisa Wright / 0409 722 359 / media@hydro.com.au