Colombia's Barrancabermeja set to launch delayed wastewater tender

The Colombian city of Barrancabermeja is hopeful that a tender will be launched in the next few days to construct the San Silvestre wastewater treatment plant, local newspaper Vanguardia reported.

The tender, which has been pushed back several times, was expected to be started on January 30, although all signs now point to the publication of tender documents this week, Barrancabermeja mayor Darío Echeverri Serrano was reported as saying by the daily.

The municipal government and the city's local water utility began structuring the tender documents in 2014 after securing financing for the project in late-2013. Originally the process was due to be launched in February 2015.

However, the delays were attributed to securing the required land where the plant is to be built, Vanguardia reported.

International companies are expected to team up with local firms to vie for the contract, although the actual cost of the project is still up in the air, Serrano said.

The funding approved in 2013 was based on an exchange rate of 1,800 pesos to the dollar, while the exchange rate is now around 3,314 pesos to the dollar.

The required investment in the plant had been pegged at 121bn pesos, roughly equivalent to US$67.2mn in 2013, but now closer to US$36.5mn.

The winner of the tender must submit the plant's final engineering design around six months after being awarded the contract, Serrano said.

The plant is intended to treat approximately 70% of the wastewater generated in Barrancabermeja, and is part of the city's larger sanitation initiative, which is being funded by state oil company Ecopetrol and by the municipal, department and national governments.

UPCOMING BNAMERICAS EVENTS

4TH Mexico Electric Power Summit

Click here to see the agenda and speakers

5TH Mexico Infrastructure Summit

Click here to see the agenda and speakers

4TH Mexico Oil&Gas Summit

Click here to see the agenda and speakers