Plan 'emergency' for water plant

Gosford Council has been urged to treat building Woy Woy's proposed water treatment plant as an "emergency" and not to call tenders for the building to house it.

Council staff have asked council to officially treat the matter as "a case of emergency".

Gosford Council officers have recommended that council endorse a decision not to invite tenders under Section 55 of the Local Government Act 1993 for the construction of a building to house the proposed Woy Woy Water Treatment Plant "as the matter is considered to be a case of emergency as identified under Section 55(3) of the Local Government Act 1993".

They have recommended that council instead call quotations from at least five Central Coast building companies with which it has had a good track record of previous building experience and that "the lowest tendered price be accepted conditional on meeting or accelerating required timeframes for delivery of the project".

Council recently accepted a tender from Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Australia for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of Membrane Filtration Equipment for the proposed Woy Woy Water Treatment Plant (WTP).

The project was compressed to the minimum timeframes due to the "urgent nature of the works".

The treatment plant equipment was to be housed in a purpose-built building, which is not part of Veolia Water's tender.

"This approach was taken to ensure the most appropriate water treatment equipment was obtained not compromised by the building works determining what equipment would be used," a council staff report stated.

"Further the development application conditions regarding the building were not known at the time of advertising tenders due to the fast tracking of the project."

Veolia Water require access to the Woy Woy depot site by January 13, with the initial installation of membrane equipment skids.

The report stated: "A suitable building contractor will need to be engaged by late November to ensure construction works are substantially underway before the end of the year.

"It may also require building works to be carried out straight after the New Year, not delayed with the normal two week break, subject to materials availability."

The detailed design process for the building requires Veolia Water to confirm piping layouts, equipment dimensioning and general agreement of the plant layout with Council.

The building shell would then be designed around this, to ensure pits and slab penetrations were in the exact position, with design works, specifications and required documentation to be completed by late October.

The report stated that the requirement to call tenders would create a longer lead time in appointing a building contractor, with the earliest appointment date being mid-December.

I"This may mean building works would not commence before January," the report stated.

"Due to the present critical water supply situation and time available and it considered appropriate and necessary for council to consider this situation as an emergency and thus seek quotations for the work.

"Under Section 55(3) of the Local Government Act 1993, the need to tender does not apply to a contract, "made in the case of an emergency".

"It is essential that the Woy Woy WTP project be completed as early as practicable."

Council agenda WAT.27, October 3