Reconstruction of the water main in Mykolaiv: contractors started work on five sections

In Mykolaiv, contractors have already begun the reconstruction of networks in five sections of the water pipeline. The regional state administration assured that the prices were not inflated.

This was discussed at the briefing of the head of Mykolayiv RMA, Vitalii Kim, on Tuesday, December 26, NikVesti reports.

The deputy head of the Mykolayiv RMA, Valentyn Haidarzhy, said that the prices for building materials are average and lower than those in the projects.

«Five plots have been started. To date, three contractors have submitted documents. About 78 million hryvnias are under review. I want to say right away that the prices are average, they were confirmed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, they are much lower than they were in the projects, examinations and correspond to today's market. The project is planned for 2 years. We will find out what the price will be next year, when there will be funding limits. As soon as we know, we will share the information,» said Valentyn Haidarzhi.

Valentyn Haidarzhi also commented on the use of the anti-dumping mechanism in procurement for the reconstruction of the water pipeline. Mykolaiv businessman, head of ViK Technologies Oleksandr Zhak focused on them earlier. He declared about corruption in the Mykolaiv region connected with these purchases. According to him, in the procurement, the customer set limits for participants who offer prices 5-8% lower than the expected cost.

«First of all, this applies not only to the Department of Architecture of the Mykolaiv Oblast. For example, in Odesa back in 2019, anti-dumping amounted to 5%. Secondly, it is not prohibited by the current legislation. But, let's say this, there are such objects that no more than one participant comes to. For example, there are two buildings in Bashtanka, for example, a gymnasium in the center of the city. And to say that because of anti-dumping we drive away or scare away potential contractors is not true. Any contractor can come with this anti-dumping, if he agrees with the project, with expertise. Moreover, they all sign certificates that they agree to the terms of the auction. Then, of course, all the promotions and so on,» said Valentyn Haidarzhi.

In turn, Vitalii Kim added that such conditions are used against «tender trolling», which consists in the fact that unscrupulous participants of the tender, who, with the help of contesting the conditions of the tender documentation of customers, try to influence the procurement procedures.

«These are means against «tender trolling». This is true. Because the question is not now that we destroy the price, but the question is that every contractor wants to raise, because it is difficult for him to work. If we launch a person below the cost price for a tender, we lose 5 months because he does not start work, we relaunch tenders and so on. This practice was used by a lot of dishonest contractors who came in and said, well, let's come up with something, give me 5% and I will then subcontract who will actually work. So that we don't have tender trolls here, we did it,» he said.

As you know, the publication «Nashi Hroshi» analyzed the purchases of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration for the reconstruction of the water supply in Mykolaiv with a total cost of 836 million hryvnias, and stated that the prices were inflated by 2-3 times. Reacting to this publication, the head of Mykolayiv RMA Vitalii Kim said that he would account for every penny spent and urged «don't believe bad news». Commenting on this investigation, the Department of Urban Planning, Architecture, Capital Construction and Support of Development Projects of OVA stated that the prices indicated in the tender fully correspond to reality.

However, already three weeks ago, the head of the Mykolaiv region held a briefing, at which he thanked the journalists and confirmed the fact that the contractor had inflated the price. He noted that during the analysis of the cost, it was found that the contractor included inflation in the prices not only this year, but also the next, and therefore the amount of the tender will decrease.

The Department of Town Planning, Architecture, Capital Construction and Support of Development Projects of the Mykolayiv Oblast, commenting on the investigation by the publication «Nashi Hroshi» regarding the overpayment for the reconstruction of the water main, stated that the prices specified in the tender correspond to reality.

What about the water in Mykolaiv?

Back in April 2022, Russian troops destroyed the water pipeline through which Mykolaiv received drinking water.

Previously, NikVesti wrote that the water in the taps of Mykolaiv residents is dangerous for consumption, as it contains enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, toxic elements, has an increased content of chlorides, sulfates, dry residue, etc.

More information about the dangers of using «technical» water for citizens and what awaits the city's residents in the future can be found in the material «Mykolaiv. The city that holds the defense of the south suffers from thirst».

In March 2023, the director of Mykolaivvodokanal, Borys Dudenko, announced the possible threat of destruction of the sewage system due to the influence of salt water. According to him, over the past year, the water utility has eliminated more than 1,000 leaks, and after the start of the supply of salty water, the number of accidents per day has increased to 10-15 times. In addition, concrete sewer collectors also begin to degrade.

The European Investment Bank has approved additional credit financing of 20 million euros to improve water supply and drainage in Mykolaiv within the framework of the Municipal Infrastructure Development Program of Ukraine.

Earlier it was reported that 1.2 billion hryvnias are going to be allocated from the state budget for the restoration of the water supply system in Mykolaiv. Such a step is necessary for the city, because salt water corrodes the pipes and over time the entire water supply system will have to be changed in Mykolaiv.

At the same time, the head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim,  considers his team's decision to supply the city with salty technical water from the Southern Bug through a water pipeline after the water pipeline from the Dnipro River was damaged by Russian shelling in April of last year.

The water utility is considering six options for arranging a new water intake site to provide Mykolaiv with drinking water.

As you know, the search for an alternative source of water intake began in the summer of last year. At that time, the general director of the water company, Borys Dudenko , talked about only a few options, where to get the amount of water necessary to fill the water supply system of our city and its 24-hour operation.

The first option is to go up the riverbed of the Southern Bug, choose a place with high-quality fresh water, build a water intake station there, lay a pipeline to Mykolaiv.

The second is to continue pumping water from the Dnipro-Bug estuary, but to install industrial-scale reverse osmosis units. Such installations are very energy-consuming.

On August 19, the department of urban planning, architecture, capital construction and support of development projects of the Mykolaiv RMA announced tenders for the reconstruction of 12 sections of water mains damaged by salt water in different areas of the city for a total amount of 1 billion 348 million hryvnias.

Recently, the head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim, announced the possible deterioration of water quality in the taps of Mykolaiv residents by the end of 2023.

At the same time, he believes that currently the water from the taps in Mykolaiv, which the townspeople consider technical, is better in quality than «most water in Europe».