The Healthy Hydro Tasmania Program (HHTP) provides various components of a health and wellbeing initiative, ranging from educational seminars, health assessments, in-house physical activities and a rebate of up to $200 per year for membership of a gym or sporting body or for sporting equipment. During the year, the HHTP was reviewed and found not to be achieving its original objectives. Further work is to be undertaken in 2007/08 to develop an improved health and wellbeing program with input from staff.

The HHTP budget for the financial year of 2006/07 was $200,000.

Table 16 Healthy Hydro Tasmania Program

*Six-month period while change made from calendar to financial year

Public Safety

The low storage levels experienced in 2006/07 have had a major impact on boating access at Great Lake, affecting fishing, boating and water sports.

All general boat ramps on Great Lake were closed after an assessment of the ramps by Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST). Access to the lake was facilitated by the existing low level access ramp.

Communicating closures and safety issues became a priority. A shared approach to media on boating access from Hydro Tasmania, Inland Fisheries Service and MAST ensured coordinated safety messages between the institutions with statutory responsibilities for public water use, conditions and access. A partnership with Angling Alliance Tasmania, an association of inland anglers, also helped inform the wider angling audience.
Hydro Tasmania’s Hands On Energy Discovery Centre takes particular care of safety. It conducts a weekly safety audit of all the displays and models which attract several thousand visitors each year, the majority of whom are school students.

A statewide fire management plan is being developed through a collaborative approach with external parties. This provides safety for the public and employees and develops a fire strategy for asset protection.

Dam safety
Hydro Tasmania’s Dam Safety Program ensures that the community is not exposed to unacceptable risks from the existence and operation of our dams, that we comply with dam safety legislative requirements and industry guidelines and that the long-term value of the dams is preserved.

Hydro Tasmania applies the best prevailing dam safety practice and technology, and applies standards that are appropriate to the potential hazard of each dam, as well as a program of surveillance, risk assessments, safety reviews, early detection practices and regularly testing emergency response plans.

During the reporting period, significant capital upgrades continued to reduce risk to public safety at the following dams.

• Lake Echo Dam - a protective filter layer and rockfill supporting buttress was constructed on the downstream face of the dam to complete the modernisation project.
  
• Tungatinah Dam - reduced the leakage beneath the dam and constructed a protective filter trench and drain at the downstream toe of the dam.
  
• Laughing Jack Dam - the concealed spillway crest was reinstated and the rockfill spillway was enhanced.
  
• Catagunya Dam and Dee Dam - significant progress was made in the analysis of options and design work.
  
• Trevallyn Dam - foundation pressure monitoring instruments were installed beneath the dam and improvements were made to the foundation water pressure relief drainage system.
  

The State Government dams regulatory body, the Assessment Committee for Dam Construction, inspected the works in progress at Laughing Jack Dam and has been briefed on the program of works proposed to mitigate public safety risk at other Hydro Tasmania dams.