The Tasmanian Water Minister Bryan Green has said his government is considering a proposal by Victorian company Docklands Science Park to construct a pipeline to export surplus water across the Bass Strait.

 

Docklands Science Park has announced it wants to lay a six-metre diameter pipeline across the Bass Strait to pump excessive water from Tasmania’s hydro schemes to Victoria and South Australia.

 

The company has said that farmers and miners would pay for the infrastructure, which would cost less than a billion dollars and would generate $27 billion in annual revenue, according to the company’s forecasts.

 

"We have been approached on a number of occasions about this issue. There is people who have talked about taking fresh water from Tasmania via pipes," Mr Green told the ABC. 

 

"I have written back to the Docklands Scientific Group suggesting that if they come up with a concrete proposal we will look at it."