Call goes out for pipeline builders
The City Council is a step closer to removing the city’s treated wastewater outfall from the Avon-Heathcote Estuary, now asking contractors to register their interest in building the planned ocean outfall pipeline.
John Moore, the Council engineer leading the outfall project, says registrations of interest (ROI) will be accepted until midday, 14 September. Although an Environment Canterbury (ECan) decision on the resource consents is still pending, the City Council must plan as far ahead as possible if it is to meet an ECan requirement that it let the multi-million dollar ocean outfall contract within eight months of the resource consent being granted.
Building the ocean outfall could be done in a variety of ways — dig and lay, micro tunnelling, dredge and lay, or a combination of these methods, Mr Moore says. Contractors might also propose an innovative construction method and could be asked to provide more information, he says.
From the ROI short-list, up to five potential tenderers will be selected to take part in a formal interactive tendering process, starting in December, with final tenders closing about the end of March next year. Depending on when the resource consent for the ocean outfall is finalised, the contract is likely to be awarded about the end of May next year, Mr Moore says. |
