Old Lyme water main projects put on pause

Old Lyme — The Connecticut Water Company announced this week it is suspending water main projects in the Sound View and Wildwood neighborhoods in response to Gov. Ned Lamont’s ‘Stay Safe, Stay Home’ orders issued in March.

The projects, which began last month, had outlined bringing new water lines to several beach communities in town this year, including Old Lyme Shores. The company recently completed improvements in the White Sand Beach area.

The plan was to install full-depth water main lines to replace seasonal shallow-depth lines that are, in some cases, more than 90 years old. The improvements would allow for consistent, year-round water supply to hundreds of homes — many of which only receive water seasonally, Connecticut Water had told The Day last month. The project was planned as part of the company’s merger with San Jose Water and was set to be completed by the end of 2020.

The company did not specify when the projects would begin again but said in a news release that it would notify residents when work is set to resume.

Connecticut Water will continue to perform essential construction activity, such as repair of water main breaks and tasks needed to continue to provide a reliable supply of safe drinking water to customers and the community. Included are critical maintenance tasks, such as water main flushing.

Though not related, the water line projects were planned to coincide with sewer projects taking place in several beach neighborhoods, including Miami Beach, Old Lyme Shores Beach and Old Colony Beach associations — all chartered neighborhoods considered independent municipalities — and the town in Sound View. Those projects tentatively are scheduled to begin later this year, and it is not yet clear whether they will be delayed.