Moab city will begin work this week to replace antiquated water lines along Main Street, Public Works Director Brent Williams said told the Moab City Council on Tuesday night.

Portions of West Center Street will be the first areas affected by the construction, and Williams said crews will begin taking up pavement along West Center on Wednesday, November 17.

The project – replacing the entire existing Main Street water line – is expected to take several months to finish, but Williams stressed that it must be completed by March 31. The city has included a penalty clause in the contract for the project, and the contractor will be fined $1,000 per day for each day work continues after March 31.

He said local businesses will be notified as construction nears their location, and City Manager Donna Metzler said the city will post regularly updated advertisements on local television Channel 6 to keep area residents informed of the project’s progress.

© 2004 Lisa J. Church