Water contractor agrees to meeting

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 502, 7 September 1993, Page 8

Water contractor agrees to meeting

A meeting between the Waimarino Community Board and the Ohakune Water Supply contractors "is not regarded as necessary as the Council's engineering staff are aware of all the relevant facts", according to council engineer Bruce Dobson. Last month the board called for such a meeting so that questions could be asked of the contractor regarding a number of operational problems with the plant. Mr Dobson told the board at their last meeting, 2 September, that while the contractor was

not obliged to attend the meeting, he had agreed to do so. Preceding the report on the issue in the meeting minutes was a description of the New Zealand Standard General Conditions of Contract, which states that the council engineer is responsible for communication between the council and the contractor. Board chairman Colin Webb said they still had a right to ask questions of the contractor. In his report, Mr Dobson said the 12-month maintenance period for the plant was to expire on

27 October 1993 for the majority of the works, and on 11 December for the UV treatment and waste water systems. He said the contractor was to put right remaining faults in early September. The contractor was not responsible for any unexpected surging in the supply pipeline (a cause of major problems with the plant). Where problems were the responsibility of the contractor, they have been put right at their expense. _ Mr Dobson told the board that the modification to the intake to stop

the vortex (which let air into the pipe) was working well. He said the contractor responsible for a pipe which firoze had accepted it was a design fault and had agreed to rectify the fault. Board member Winston Oliver asked why it was taking so long for the replacement diatomatious earth fxlters to arrive. Mr Dobson said there was a problem with responsibility, and that the insurers were now debating who should pay.

"I said that we couldn't go on with the indecision so I have put the order in for the replacement parts with no prejudice." (Meaning the decision as to who pays is yet to be made). "They should be here within the week." Mr Dobson said while the plant was not working to full capacity, the water was still of a very high quality. "It's very much a belt and braces plant. The depth filters are pretty effective in removing most of the bacteria and even giardia."