The construction of the new storm tank for rainwater in Cádiz, designed to enhance urban sanitation management during intense rainfall and prevent discharges into the Bay of Cádiz, has been halted. A technical report from Aguas de Cádiz indicates that the allocated budget and intervention deadlines were too short, leading to no companies submitting bids for the project.
The project, which involved building a retention tank with a capacity of 5,847 cubic meters, upgrading the EBARP Cortadura pumping station, installing new hydraulic connections, and modernizing electrical and control systems, had a budget of 7,426,621.24 euros (VAT included) and a 14-month execution period. The tender, launched by the municipal company three months ago, closed on June 29th without any proposals received.
This infrastructure is considered “very necessary, complex, and costly” to adapt the city's sanitation network to European requirements, as explained by the deputy mayor and president of Aguas de Cádiz, José Manuel Cossi. The tank would temporarily store the initial rainwater runoff, which carries the highest pollutant load, thereby reducing environmental impact on the sensitive Bay of Cádiz.
Consequently, Aguas de Cádiz also had to withdraw the related contract for site supervision and health and safety coordination. The mayor of Cádiz, Bruno García, had emphasized the goal of “improving the response capacity of the sanitation system and continuing to advance in environmental protection and the quality of public services”.
In response, the Cádiz City Council's intention is clear. After the process was officially declared void on July 2nd, Aguas de Cádiz issued a report analyzing the reasons for the lack of bids and proposing a comprehensive review of the project. This review will include modifications to the budget, execution deadlines, technical improvements, and adjustments to current market conditions.
On August 6th, a minor contract worth 14,737.8 euros (VAT included) was awarded for the project revision to Idom Consulting Engineering Architecture, S.A.U., the original document's authoring company. This firm will have three months to update the project, including new pricing, timelines, and measurements, to prepare for a new tender for the construction works.
