RDA inks $2.5M-contract for the restoration of water infrastructure in First District

A local construction firm has been awarded an estimated $2.5 million contract from the Recovery & Development Agency (RDA) for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Carrot Bay and West End water infrastructure.

Autland Heavy Equipment Company Limited was the recipient of the contract.

Autland, which is run by the father and son duo of Ottley Crabbe and Dion Crabbe, was issued the contract in accordance with the Caribbean Development Bank’s procurement policies.

“Invitations for bids on the GIS and CDB websites were published as well as in the BVI local newspapers, however, regrettably only two bids were received for each area by the submission deadline,” the RDA’s Director of Procurement John Primo said during the contract signing ceremony on Thursday, May 7.

“Thereafter, a preliminary and detailed examination was done of these bids and Autland Heavy Equipment Limited was determined to be lowest responsive bidder and therefore was recommended for the awarding of the contract,” he further explained.

Works to be done

Minister responsible for Works and Utilities Kye Rymer, in the meantime, said the scope of works will be done in stages, starting with the Carrot Bay and Zion Hill reservoirs.

“The works will include … two of three tanks that would be installed. The one at Zion Hill the capacity now would be 101,000 gallons and Carrot Bay would be 322,000 gallons for a total of 645,000 gallons which will be half of the total capacity of the 1.5-million-gallon capacity under the CDB loan,” Rymer stated.

Resilient and Cost-effective project

He also explained that the project will save the government a significant amount of money in the future due to the measures to be used and quality of the build.

“The tanks are being erected using a precast glass fuse to seal water storage. The bolted technology combined with specialised jacking systems enables the tank to be built very quickly without dangerous scaffolding or expensive crane time,” the minister said.

“The corrosion-resistant glass fuse to seal interior and exterior surface will eliminate the need for costly sandblasting and repainting which will significantly reduce lifetime maintenance cost. The advantages of this sort of storage tank, it will be far more cost-effective than carbon steel or concrete,” he further explained.

Rymer also said the project will include the installation of a metering and pressure optimization system, along with the construction of two retaining walls which will be built around the two reservoirs.

These walls will be up to 26 feet high and are to protect the reservoirs throughout their design life.

Water woes will be finally over

Premier and Representative of the First District Andrew Fahie spoke on the relief that will be coming to residents of his district once the project is finally completed.

“Can I tell you that water woes have existed for a while in the First District, where the people have been consistently complaining about the lack of access to the public water supply. One lady even told me that it’s a shame that I am the Minister of Finance and we have these issues, so I can tell her now when I go home today to erase your shame and start to put away your buckets,” Premier Fahie said.

According to the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the RDA Anthony McMaster, this contract signing marks a historic feat in the BVI with the RDA signing four contracts in a little more than a week; amassing an estimated $7 million which will be injected back into the local economy.