Big dig nears for Water Street to replace century-old pipes

A consultant has been hired to begin exploratory work on antiquated water and sewer systems in downtown St. John's, as the city prepares to overhaul the 100-year-old infrastructure.

• Water Street to be torn up to replace century-old sewage, water systems

Excavation and drilling will begin in July and take four to six weeks to complete the tracing of water mains and confirming the location of underground electrical.

The consultant, CBCL Limited, will also visit properties along historic Water Street to investigate water and sewer issues, and determine how the buildings connect to the main infrastructure. 

Construction to replace the existing sewer and water main is scheduled to begin in 2016.

The majority of the exploratory work will happen Sunday to Thursday, beginning at 11 p.m. and ending at 7 a.m., to lessen the impact on local businesses.

Sections of Water Street will be closed overnight while work is ongoing.

It's expected that the total project to replace infrastructure between Prescott Street and Waldegrave Street will taken four to five construction seasons. 

A public information session is happening on for Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the LSPU Hall.