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New Barc Pool Heaters Will Be Operating Next MonthA Bairnsdale company has been awarded the contract to provide and install new pool water heaters for the Bairnsdale Aquatic and Recreation Centre (BARC). By East Gippsland Shire Council - 4th August 2005 - Back to News At a special meeting this week East Gippsland Shire Councillors approved the letting of the contract – worth more than $100,000 – to Farquhars Plumbing and Gas Pty Ltd.
Shire CEO Steve Kozlowski said the company had advised council they would do their utmost to ‘fast track’ the installation that is scheduled to begin after the pool is closed on 2 September.
"Our plan is to have the pool operating by mid-September in time for the school holidays."
"A key factor in the timing is how quickly the boilers can be fabricated," Mr Kozlowski said, "while the rest of the system uses ‘off the shelf’ components that can be sourced and installed quickly."
The new heaters use a combination of solar power and gas. Initially they will operate on bottled LPG and be converted for natural gas as soon as it is available to the BARC.
Mr Kozlowski said the contract involves the removal of the existing electricity powered pool heaters and replacement with the new solar/gas types.
"Consideration was given to refurbishing the electric heaters but given the cost of doing so and the high cost of electricity versus natural gas, this option was rejected," he said.
"What we will now get is a far more efficient heating system with considerable savings in operating costs."
The new equipment will heat a total volume of 1,024,000 litres of water to a constant 29.5 deg in the main pool and 30.5 degrees in the toddler’s pool and the water will be circulated through the system every four to five hours.
During the closure period the pool will also receive a general "spruce up" including the replacement of lifting tiles.
The maintenance program has been extended to include The Aquadome in Lakes Entrance and will begin as soon as the work on the BARC pool is finished. As a result the ‘Lakes’ facility will be closed during the school holidays to minimise the disruption to regular programs.
Replacement of expansion joints and tiles as well as urgent maintenance in the showers and toilets will be carried out and some components in the air and water handling equipment will also be replaced.
Mayor Cr Jane Rowe said that council recognised the importance of the two pools to the East Gippsland community.
"We are going to take this opportunity to give both facilities a much needed ‘lift’, and I’d like to thank the community in anticipation of their patience and understanding while we get on with the job," she said.
"When the work is completed we’ll have a re-opening celebration to which everyone will be invited."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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