Missouri American Water is still replacing aging water mains during the coronavirus crisis and over the next several weeks will spend roughly $1.5 million for a project getting underway in South County.

Roughly one mile of water main along Eddie and Park Road from Sappington Road to Gravois Road will be replaced over the next several weeks ahead of a St. Louis County road project. The project is about 30 percent completed and will now move into the second and third phase, a spokesman said Monday.

Work on this project generally will take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. During construction, customers might experience temporary water service interruptions, discolored water and/or lower-than-normal water pressure. For more information, contact Missouri American Water at 866-430-0820.

Missouri American Water will invest $1.5 million to replace 6-inch cast iron water main originally installed in the 1950s with 16-inch ductile iron main.

“This is an excellent example of how we partner with local governments to strategically plan water main replacement projects in a way that minimizes impact to our customers,” said Debbie Dewey, president of Missouri American Water, in a news release. “In St. Louis County, we have a program that allows us to be more proactive in replacing aged water mains, which helps make this coordination possible. We are committed to working with legislators and key stakeholders so we can attract more capital for these types of planned replacement projects across the state.”

Missouri American Water plans to invest approximately $93 million in 2020 to replace aging water mains in St. Louis County.

The company prioritizes sections of pipe that have the highest number and frequency of breaks and said it strives to coordinate its work with other stakeholders like local municipalities, St. Louis County and the Missouri Department of Transportation to maximize resources and minimize inconvenience.

“This stretch of water main along Eddie and Park has a history of breaks, and with St. Louis County planning a road project here, it makes sense for us to replace the main now,” said Missouri American Water Senior Project Engineer Christopher Parrish in the release. “We partnered with the county to replace this aging pipe ahead of their street project so the road is only torn up once, saving money and reducing problems for drivers.”

Streets with ongoing water main replacement projects may face lane restrictions and increased traffic, so travelers are encouraged to find alternate routes where possible.

Once a main is replaced, contractors for Missouri American Water will construct temporary road patches to allow traffic flow. Permanent road repair, as well as restoration of any other yard and property damage caused by the work, will begin within 90 days of the main’s replacement. This allows for the ground to properly settle so that restoration work is successful.

More information about restoration can be found on the Missouri American Water website here.