Long Branch area business owners are bracing for another financial hit to their bottom line as a major watermain replacement project along Lake Shore Blvd. W., has been postponed until January.

The watermain replacement was slated to begin this month, but will start in January 2022 and run until the summer, according to a City of Toronto Project Update.

The construction work will run from Twenty Fourth Street to 56-meters west of Thirty Second Street on Lake Shore Blvd. W., and also on Twenty Ninth Street, city officials said.

A notice of the new dates has been sent out to Long Branch businesses, who fear they may lose their street parking and that Lake Shore Blvd. W., will be reduced to one lane due to construction.

Most businessmen have complained that they took a loss during COVID-19 and now they stand to lose more business and customers from the construction and lack of parking.

“Before water main construction begins, the contractor may arrange for minor preparatory works such as utility locates, pre-construction property condition surveys and sewer investigations,” according to the Project Update.

The contractor will be responsible for implementing COVID-19 mitigation practices on the site, residents were assured. And  affected properties will receive a construction notice two weeks before the work begins.

“Word in the boulevard and in front of homes and commercial properties is expected,” according to the City. “This work includes removing and replacing driveways, municipal sidewalks and grass boulevards where necessary.”

The City-hired contractor may need access to the interior and exterior of some homes to compete a pre-construction survey, according to the city.

They city every year replaces about 3,000 substandard water service pipes during planned capital construction projects, such as road, sewer and watermain work. Pipes are considered substandard if they are leaking or broken, deemed smaller than standard size, servicing more than one home

or made of lead or galvanized steel.

The City replaces the City-owned portion of the pipe from the watermain to the property line. Homeowners are responsible for replacing the private portion that runs from the property line into the home.

If you live in a home built before the mid-1950s, it is strongly recommended that you replace the private portion of the pipe to reduce your exposure to lead in drinking water, city officials said.

Anyone with questions is asked to call Field Ambassador Karo Oguma at 647-299-8601 or 311.