High tender prices see Raetihi sewer work delayed

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 684, 29 April 1997, Page 3

High tender prices see Raetihi sewer work delayed

A consultant' sestimatethat"bore no relationship to the market" has been followed by a decision to defer the Raetihi sewer upgrade plans. While $238,000 was approved in the 1995/96 Ruapehu District Council Annual Plan, the final cost is now expected to be $428,000. Large volumes of stormwater and groundwater are able to enter the system, which has, on occasion, caused overflows. This in turn has resulted in the residents of 20B Duncan Street having to evacuate, reported council officers. Closed circuit television examination of pipelines showed that the existing pipework is generally in poor condition, with many displaced joints and cracked pipes.

"Tenders have been called for the work, but the lowest price received was much greater than the estimate provided by our consultant," said acting chief executive Chris Ryan. "Ho wever, it is clear from the process that a very competitive range of tender bids were received and provides a very sound indication of the likely cost."

Before accepting that the work must be deferred, councillors asked why the consultant' s figures were so far out. Mr Ryan said they sought an explanation, but "got a woolly one". Councillors were told that the consultant blamed the council for losing the records related to the reticulation system.