Crews work on the Gervais Street water main earlier this year.
COLUMBIA (WACH) - Two infrastructure improvement projects in Columbia are almost done and chances are you have noticed the cost of getting them accomplished.
Some of the construction work gave drivers along Gervais Street a major headache but engineers say all those slow commutes are going to pay off in the near future.
The work that started at the beginning of this year should be done by early 2012. The city's Director of Engineering Joey Jaco says cleaning the 100-year-old water main will give customers improved water pressure.
"The paving project is to repave Gervais Street completely, our intention was to get in, do all the heavy cuts we needed to do with this project so DOT can come in next year and do that project," said Jaco.
A second project started back in early 2010 involves fixing the sewer system, once completed it should reduce the frequent sewage backups in the Capital City.
"We were having problems with this main, we had several collapses, it will improve our system and will help reduce overflows."
Jaco says the 40-year-old network of sewer lines along the Congaree River is due for a facelift.
"This was a concrete pipe and the sewer gasses actually eat the concrete."
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