Hobart's tap water is among Australia's softest and best tasting — and it's microbiologically safe with 100% compliance for 5 consecutive years. But the story has a catch: some of the state's water infrastructure dates back to the 1930s–1940s. Very soft water (below 10 mg/L) is excellent for skin and appliances, but it's more corrosive to old pipes, leading to the occasional discoloured water complaints.
Hobart's water supply comes from multiple sources across Tasmania, managed by TasWater — Tasmania's regional water authority serving 469,000+ people across 59 distinct drinking water supply systems statewide.
Primary catchment sources
Hobart's primary source is the Bryn Estyn Water Treatment Plant, which draws from the River Derwent at 160 ML/day capacity (expandable to 200 ML/day). This supplies approximately 60% in winter and 85% in summer. Additional sources include the Ridgeway Dam/Reservoir (940 ML capacity, over 100 years old), and seasonal supply from Lake Fenton in Mount Field National Park, which contributes about 20% of winter supply. These water sources are treated at multiple plants across the region.
Treatment plants
Hobart's water is treated across multiple facilities: Bryn Estyn (primary — multi-barrier filtration, ozone, activated carbon, chlorination, UV), Fern Tree (won the 2023 IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia award — fluoridation and disinfection), Merton Treatment Station, and National Park Treatment Station.
Hobart's water journey
From rainfall in Mount Wellington to your kitchen tap — here's how Hobart's water is collected, treated, and delivered.
Rain falls across the Mountain Wellington (kunanyi) and River Derwent catchments, protected natural areas feeding Tasmania's cleanest water sources.
Water flows from Mount Wellington, Lake Fenton, and the River Derwent into the Ridgeway Reservoir (940 ML) and collection points for Bryn Estyn plant intake.
Raw water moves through pipelines to Bryn Estyn Water Treatment Plant, the heart of Hobart's filtration system.
Coagulation, filtration, ozone, activated carbon, chlorine + UV disinfection, fluoridation (0.8–1.1 mg/L). Chlorine residual maintained <1.0 mg/L.
Treated water flows through 11,400+ km of water and sewer mains statewide, serving 221,000+ water connections across Tasmania.
Clean, soft drinking water arrives at your kitchen tap. For best taste and to filter residual chlorine and any trace contaminants — add a Tapp filter as the final step.
Here are the main parameters TasWater monitors and reports:
Note on discolouration: Some areas of Hobart experience occasional water discolouration (green-blue or brown) due to corrosion in old copper, cast iron, and galvanised iron pipes dating back 80+ years. This is not a health hazard but affects appearance. Very soft water lacks calcium to form a protective coating inside pipes, worsening corrosion. TasWater is investing $367.7M in infrastructure upgrades to address this.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are "forever chemicals" used in non-stick coatings, firefighting foams, and food packaging. They persist in water and bioaccumulate.
For reference: Tappwater's EcoPro Compact and SMR tap filters remove 93% of PFAS via activated carbon nanofiltration. For maximum PFAS removal (99%), the RO Countertop uses reverse osmosis — the most effective consumer technology available.
Hobart has very soft water (below 10 mg/L). For reference:
- Soft: 0–60 mg/L (Hobart: <10 mg/L — far below this range)
- Moderately hard: 60–200 mg/L
- Hard: >200 mg/L (Perth: 200+, Adelaide: 150+)
The benefits: Very soft water is excellent for skin, hair, and appliances — no mineral scale buildup, longer appliance life, better shampoo lathering, softer feel on skin.
The catch: Very soft water is more corrosive to old pipes because it lacks calcium to form a protective coating inside them. This is why some Hobart areas experience discoloured water from aging copper and cast iron pipes. A $367.7M infrastructure upgrade is underway to address this.
Hobart's water is clean and microbiologically safe, but you might filter for taste, chlorine removal, or personal preference. It depends what you want to remove.
EcoPro Compact
5-stage nanofiltration. Removes chlorine taste/odour, 93% PFAS, 70% fluoride, and >99% microplastics.
EcoPro Chrome SMR™
Same 5-stage filtration plus Swedish Mineral Rock™ — adds calcium, magnesium, and potassium for better taste.
RO Countertop
7-stage reverse osmosis. Removes virtually everything including fluoride, any trace PFAS, and microplastics.
Hobart's water is already clean and safe. Filter for taste, chlorine preference, or personal choice. Here's how to decide:
| Filter | Chlorine | Fluoride | PFAS | Microplastics | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoPro Compact | >97% | 70% | 93% | >99% | $109.99 | Best value |
| EcoPro Chrome SMR™ | >99% | 70% | 93% | >99% | $149.99 | Taste + minerals |
| RO Countertop | >99% | >99% | 99% | >99% | $799.99 | Maximum protection |
Use this table to compare what each Tappwater filter removes from Hobart's water:
| Contaminant | In Hobart Water | Compact | SMR | RO Countertop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorine | Chlorine + UV | >97% | >99% | >99% |
| Fluoride | 0.8–1.1 mg/L | 70% | 70% | >99% |
| PFAS | Not detected | 93% | 93% | 99% |
| Microplastics | Trace | >99% | >99% | >99% |
| Lead | Trace (from old pipes) | >95% | >95% | 100% |
| Heavy metals (Hg) | Trace | 95%+ | 95%+ | >99% |
| THMs | Trace | >98% | >98% | >99% |
| TDS reduction | Low (very soft water) | — | — | 85% |
| Best for Hobart | — | Best value | Taste + minerals | Maximum protection |
Hobart's water is excellent. Filtered, it's perfect.
Whether it's chlorine taste, fluoride preference, or just extra peace of mind — find the right filter for your home.
Compare our filters → View lab results →We've tested and reviewed tap water across every Australian state and territory capital. See how your city compares.