The Council has said that negotiations with landholders situated along the preferred route of the pipeline failed to reach an agreed settlement, and so it resolved to apply to the New South Wales Minister for Local Government to acquire the relevant easements.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council Water Services Manager Greg Horvath told The Australian Pipeliner that the council does not anticipate that the process will delay construction of the pipeline.

“We are working through these easement issues and endeavouring to resolve them with landholders as soon as possible, so we don’t expect any change to the project timeline,” he said.

Tenders are now being sought for the construction of the 81 km pipeline, and close on 12 October 2010.

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More than 45 companies were represented at a recent compulsory pre-tender meeting and site inspection, and Mr Horvath said that a construction contractor will be chosen following a six-week review and assessment period.

“It is well-known that this project is on a tight timeframe, so we are busy across a number of areas,” Mr Horvath said. “I was extremely pleased with the response to the pre-tender meeting and site inspections, with a number of experienced companies showing interest in the project.”

The pipeline is part of the council’s Highlands Source Project, and it will transfer raw water from the Sydney Catchment Authority's Wingecarribee Reservoir to the Goulburn Water Treatment Plant.

The pipeline is expected to be 300 mm in diameter for half of its length, and 375 mm throughout the other half, and it will have a capacity of 5 ML/d of water – which could be increased to 7.5 ML/d with the addition of a new pumping station.

The Council said that land acquisitions relating to the pipeline project will be continuing, but that it would also continue negotiations to achieve acquisition by agreement.

The Highlands Source Project is set to receive feedback from the New South Wales Department of Planning towards the end of October 2010, and is due for completion in June 2011.