Tender call issued for pumping system

Cape Breton Post
Wed.,Oct. 15, 2008

Sydney - The Sydney Tar Ponds Agency has issued a tender call for a temporary pumping system to manage brooks and other sources of water actively flowing into the tar ponds.

There are two brooks that now drain directly into the ponds before reaching Sydney harbour and in order to have controlled construction areas for work to begin, these brooks must bypass the ponds entirely.

"Contractors need a controlled environment when mixing cement and other agents with tar ponds sediment," said Roger Larkin, project director at the agency. The construction areas will be blocked off in three stages. The first stage is from Prince Street to the Ferry Street Bridge; the second stage is from the Ferry Street Bridge to the narrows of the north tar ponds; and the final stage is from the narrows to Battery Point Barrier, located at the mouth of the harbour.

Walls made from steel panels will be used to block the tide coming from Sydney harbour and in the event of a heavy storm, surplus water will drain into the tar ponds.

The design consists mainly of temporary pumping stations. The stations include four pumps that draw in water and pipelines that move water away from work areas.

The estimated cost of the contract is between $30-$40 million. The tender closes Nov. 28.