The initiative, highly promoted by the president himself Luis Lacalle Pou and criticized even in sectors of the government coalition, it will increase the supply of drinking water in the metropolitan area.
The specifications were approved on Friday by the OSE board with some changes, which had been recommended by the general management of the state company.
The two main ones refer to the daily production capacity, which was expanded from 160,000 m3 to 200,000 m3; and the need for a greater fresh water reserve after a salinity level much higher than that allowed to make it drinkable was detected. At this point, the reserve went from 4 to 15 million m3, which is equivalent to 86 days of service.
The changes raised the cost of the plant by at least 50 million dollars, being outside of what was originally authorized by the Office of Budget and Planning (OPP). The total amount of investment is expected to be about 258 million dollars.
The Arazatí project will begin to be executed this year, but the plant will only be operational in two years.
Its production, for which it will take water from the Silver riverwill be added to that of the plant running waters and together they will serve 1,750,000 users of Montevideo, cannelloni and Saint Joseph.
The Broad Front criticizes the cost of the Arazatí project
The director of OSE for the broad front, Edgardo Ortuno, He voted against the initiative, which he criticizes from day one, and warned that it will cost 300 million dollars more than if it were carried out by the state company.
“It will be owned by the Private that will finance, do the total maintenance and operate part of the works. Cost greater than U $ S 800 million (41: for 20 years and it is not clear if it will go to the State) 300 million more than done by OSE ”, he wrote on Twitter.
The bidding will be of a public and international nature and the companies saceem, Berkes, ciemsa and Fastwhich presented as a consortium the idea of the plant in 2020, will have a competitive advantage of 12%.
The companies that win the tender must design, build and maintain the water treatment plant, while OSE will operate it and, for this, must pay an annual fee of 41 million dollars for 18 years.
Source: Ambito
