CITY WATER SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1926, Page 10

CITY WATER SUPPLY.

TENDERS FOR FILTERS. FIVE RECEIVED BY COUNCIL. COMMITTEES TO RETORT. The Auckland City Council last night received fivo tenders fur the supply of filtration plants for Urn Waitakcre and Nihotupu water supply systems. The City Engineer hist evening submitted a report of the plant under offer and the prices quoted. The tenders were, after clone consideration, reduced to two, the prices of the tenders eliminated being considerably higher than the two fur iinal selection. The two tenders under consideration were the Candy Filter Company, for open gravity filters of its own construction, at £(!4,517, and of Messrs. Cory-Wright and Salmon, for open gravity filters, -manufactured by the Paterson Engineering Company, of London, £04,282. The City Engineer paid the specifications called for the provision and erection of one or more oil engines to operate all auxiliary apparatus and of an electric light plant, but the right was reserved in view of the possibility of the extension of the transmission lino to- either site, to deduct the engines, dynamo, and battery in either case from the contract and to substitute electric motors. In December he had been assured that the Current would be available and he had advised tenderers to that effect. The Tenders Detailed. •- In considering the lowest two tenders Mr. Bush confined his attention to those i providing for the installation of electric lnotors in lieu of petrol engines, as the latter would not now be installed. All the tenders received were, for plants designed and manufactured by British firms, and in all cases the concrete work ill connection with the gravity filters as Well as the building work was tendered to be carried out by local contractors. The two tenders mentioned were the only ones coming within the figure of £70,000, at which he anticipated tenders for both plants would be received. The Candy filter prices for gravity filters for the two supplies were: Nihritupii, £34,045, and Waitakere, £32,322, With a reduction of £2150 if both tenders were accepted. Cory Wright and Salmon's prices for gravity filters were: Kiliotupu, £34.770, Waitakere, £31,380, the reduction of £1574 if both tenders are accepted, bringing the tender to £04,282. Candy Filters did not quote for pressure ; filters, but the Cory Wright and Salmon tender for this plant was: Nihotupu £40,3G4, Waitakere, £40,905 10/, the reduction of £1874 giving a tender of • £8.) ,395 10/. The other tenders received were: John Burns and Company, for gravity filters manufactured by Boby and Company London, £132,005; J. Findlay, Kohiniarama, patent filters by Bell and Company, Ltd., Manchester, £134,310; J. Findlay, for patent filters by Jo'weli Export Filter Company, New York, f.o.b. England, £80,350; A. D. Riley and Company, Wellington, for pressure filters by Jicll and Company, Manchester, £174,00 i. The Schemes Explained. The engineer said that for the open gravity filters there was a difference of £•)«.) in favour of Cory Wright and Salmon, but this was offset by the fact that their price was conditional on reservations regarding local wages and some other matters, whereas the Candy Filter price was a firm one. 1 He also considered the Candy scheme was superior in several rer.peets, and therelore thought their price the best value. ■The attention of tenderers had been called to a minute of the council as follows: "That upon receipt of tenders providing an approved tender is received' and before acceptance of same, loan proposals for tha sum necessary to cover the estimated cost be then placed before the ratepayers." As to whether tenders should be accepted for an open gravity plant or a pressure plant, the engineer said that in the case of Waitakere this might depend upon whether the City Council undertook to'supply the suburbs on the »°rtheri shores of the harbour with iT,, for wWch W '»takere was undoubtedly the best source of supply at the use of pressure filters at Waitakere a greater pressure could be given to the ■ SenvXe PPly t0 the *«*££* than irravitvnt ° f Ninot »l™ open mc /L WerC the bcst ' na Aether seTat w\T n gn,Vity filto, - s wc "' e used at Waitakere, owing to the exist once of the break pressure tank The c the complete control of the filtered water as to pressure from both plants was assured. Apart,, therefore, from the question of the supply to the X V rth ; Shore the open gravity filters were in $h i opinion the bset plant to instal at . both places. ' Having expressed satisfaction at the J tenders received the engineer submitted ;a statement showing the estimated •annual cost of filtering the council's present water supply on the basis of ten million gallons daily, which, lie said represented tire maximum available from ; Waitakere and Nihotupu after the work ;of raising the dani at the former had been completed. The figures given were: Chemicals, £3000; electric power, £950----.labour, £1500; repairs and sundries. £400----.•washing water, £450; capital charges', ■including interest and sinking fund 7* per cent, £5000; total, £11,900. This £3 - 2 ° a " lillion Salons or o.,sd a thousand gallons. The tenders and the engineers report were referred to the Works and Wα c - Ind LnT 1 /"!? 8 f ° r joint c °"sWeration 'ounc.? tLe " eXt mCeUn S of the