By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A $28 MILLION Barwon Water contract with a US firm is set to create 16 direct jobs as well as work for subcontractors and suppliers.
Insituform-Pacific, a subsidiary of St Louis-based Aegion Corporation, won the five-year contract to reline Barwon Water’s wastewater pipeline system.
The contract is part of Barwon Water’s $341 million five-year expenditure plan, which the Essential Services Commission approved last year.
Insituform-Pacific general manager Daniel Gamboa said the Geelong operation would be established “over coming weeks”.
“We’ll be working with several local contractors in the delivery of the Barwon Water sewer rehabilitation project, including initial cleaning and CCTV inspections, traffic control and civil works.
“It’s expected this will result in around 16 new local jobs through direct employment as well as the indirect employment of subcontractors and suppliers in the region.
“Insituform Pacific has begun recruiting locally for a number of project positions and this is likely to continue periodically over the course of the contract.
“It’s expected the Victorian operation will grow significantly over the next five years, resulting in further employment opportunities throughout Geelong and Victoria.”
“Throughout the five-year term contract, Insituform-Pacific will maintain its high standard of community relations.
“This includes providing a community contact number, establishing and maintaining customer contact details, notifications for all works and daily notifications to Barwon Water’s contracts team and customer call centre.”
Barwon Water infrastructure general manager Paul Northey said rehabilitation of reticulation sewer mains was part of the authority’s ongoing commitment to customer service and protection of the environment.
“Barwon Water undertakes condition assessments and rehabilitation of its reticulation sewer mains,” Mr Northey said.
“This involves undertaking closed circuit television (CCTV) inspections of selected reticulation sewer mains and installing a structural liner to rectify any defects.
“Insituform is a New South Wales company, which has successfully undertaken comparable contracts throughout Australia.
“The contract was awarded to Insituform based on an assessment of financial and non-financial criteria.”
