By Charlene Macaulay
Wyndham council has had to fork out an extra $847,000 to build a new cell at Werribee tip.
Contractors Mackenzie Environmental, originally awarded the $380,000 contract (with a $50,000 contingency) to build cell 5 in November 2016, has successfully requoted the job for $1.161 million plus a contingency of $116,100 to allow for additional design and construction elements issued by the EPA and upheld by VCAT that were not included in the original scope of works.
Councillor Kim McAliney said this included a groundwater collection system, an additional geotech-style membrane and increased testing and sampling.
Cr McAliney stressed the increased cost would not come from ratepayers but instead would be passed on to future tip customers in the price charged per each tonne of waste dumped at the new cell.
“While these extra costs were not anticipated in 2016, council accepts them as part of its commitment to operating a best practice landfill with the highest environmental standards,” she said.
“In addition, work is under way six days a week to make up for the lost time during the VCAT appeal.”
The expansion of the Werribee tip has been plagued with delays and additional costs.
As reported by Star Weekly, Wyndham council spent about $475,000 fighting the VCAT review into the EPA’s decision to approve four new cells in the Wests Road landfill, which was brought about by the Western Region Environment Centre.
VCAT upheld the EPA’s original decision, with minor amendments.
Construction has begun on the cell, with the first stage expected to be complete this month.
