Water Main Work Causing Delays In Vernon

VERNON, CT — A Connecticut Water Co. main pipe replacement project will be causing traffic delays in Vernon for about 30 days, utility officials said.

Beginning Thursday, the section of East Main Street (also known as state Route 74), between Snipsic Street and Grove Street in the Rockville section of Vernon will be closed to through traffic between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, according to water company officials.

Motorists will be detoured onto East Street, Hale Street, and Grove Street to get around the road closure. Emergency vehicles and school buses will be allowed to pass through the construction area, water company officials said.

The detour will be in effect for approximately one month as part of a $1.8 million project to replace more that 1,400 feet of water main in Rockville. The water main being replaced was installed more than 100 years ago.

"This project will improve reliability of water service, enhance water quality and supply more water to hydrants along the road," said Craig J. Patla, Connecticut Water’s vice president for service delivery. Patla added that the project is being done through the company’s Water Infrastructure and Conservation Adjustment program.

Through WICA, the company may add a small surcharge to customers’ bills for projects to invest in replacing aging water mains or for conservation-related projects. Since the inception of the WICA program in 2007, Connecticut Water has invested more than $145 million and replaced more than 124 miles of water mains, which averaged 76 years of age, across the systems in 57 of its service towns. Connecticut Water owns 1,600 miles of water mains across the state.