Major construction along Edgartown-West Tisbury Road is getting underway in Edgartown this month as part of an effort to shore up the town’s wastewater infrastructure.
Contractors will dig up nearly a mile of cast-iron sewer pipe on the side of the road in the coming weeks. The old pipes will be replaced with new ones, paid for by the $4.8 million article approved at the 2024 annual town meeting.
The pipes have failed multiple times over the past decade, causing emergency work near E.C. Cottle’s in the past. Temporary pipes will be constructed above ground during the construction, which is expected to wrap up by May 16, just a week ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
The work will be done from the pump station on Chase Road to the wastewater treatment facility about .8 miles west. Tree cutting in the area took place last week.
“On the 24th, approximately, they will be out on the road and they will start digging across the street from the plant and replacing the individual line,” said William Burke, the town’s wastewater facilities manager.
Police details will be on hand to help with traffic during some of the construction. Mr. Burke said the plan is to have the road down to one and a half lanes for between one and two weeks.
The original pipes were installed in 1971, making them 54 years old. The typical lifespan for such pipes is usually about 50 to 65 years in coastal areas, the town’s engineer said last year.
The section of pipe is critical because it carries a large amount of the town’s wastewater to the nearby treatment facility.
The work is one piece of a larger plan to improve the town’s wastewater management. Last year, the town unveiled the outline of its 20-year comprehensive wastewater management plan to deal with the town’s large summer population and degrading water quality in its coastal ponds.
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