City of Zagreb Allocates 450,000 Euros for Fountain Maintenance
The tender for maintaining the fountains near the National and University Library includes water quality management, audio and LED systems, as well as pumps and filters.
The tender for maintaining the fountains near the National and University Library includes water quality management, audio and LED systems, as well as pumps and filters.
The City of Zagreb has issued a tender for the maintenance of the fountains near the National and University Library, for which it is willing to allocate up to 450,000 euros excluding VAT. These fountains, often referred to in public as 'Bandić's fountains' after the former mayor, have been a subject of debate for years regarding their upkeep and costs.
The fountains were first put into operation in 2012, and four years later they were renovated again. The works then cost 18.4 million kuna, which sparked strong reactions and public criticism due to the high expenses.
The current city administration is now seeking a company to handle the regular maintenance of this complex system. The tender documentation, which is currently in the consultation phase with interested companies, envisions works on a weekly, monthly, semi-annual, and annual basis. The contract with the selected company will be signed for one year.
The documentation indicates that it is necessary to improve the automatic operation of individual fountains and the entire system.
"Maintenance of a complex system such as a fountain must be carried out in a timely manner and must be performed by responsible individuals with experience in the construction and maintenance of complex electromechanical systems. Through the maintenance system, it is necessary to improve the automatic operation of each fountain and the fountain system as a whole,"states the tender documentation.
Special emphasis is placed on the quality of the water in the fountains, which must be clear, clean, and hygienically meet the requirements set for drinking water. The purification system must be adjusted so that the majority of water from the surface, where most impurities accumulate, goes to filtration.
"The water in the fountains must primarily be clear and clean, and at maximum load must meet the set quality requirements. It must hygienically correspond to the requirements set for drinking water. Most impurities are found on the surface, so the system must be designed so that the majority of surface water goes to purification. The water quality of the fountains is maintained within legally prescribed limits through an automatic quality control system. Periodic replacement and calibration of pH and Cl probes are necessary for stable and safe system operation."states the project documentation.
In addition to water care, the selected company will also need to regularly maintain numerous other elements of the fountains. This includes the audio system, LED lights, pumps, various nozzles, and filters. The documentation also provides for the maintenance of the air conditioning and ventilation systems in the fountain control room.
