Mounds of soil on the edge of Sarnia's Chris Hadfield Airport have had many motorists doing a double take as they drive into the city along Highway 402.
Construction Manager Rob Williams said crews started working in the area in mid-July.
"We're replacing the Sarnia airport watermain — which was installed in 1982 on Telfer Road or what we call 'the airport curve' — which has been plagued by a number of breaks," Williams said. "So, we're actually installing a new watermain on the north side of the road, just inside the property line of the airport."
Williams admits it's a big job.
"It's 1,200 metres of new PVC [polyvinyl chloride] 12-inch watermain. So the piles of dirt that you see is top soil that was stripped and piled up. When we're all done, we'll knock everything back down and level that topsoil back out and plant some grass again," Williams said.
Williams expects construction to take a few months to complete.
"Watermain testing takes about a week on its own and the installation — depending on the heat and the rain — should take about two months," he said.
Williams said the work is very noticeable.
"Usually if we're doing construction in an urban area we don't have piles and piles of topsoil like that. It's pretty common if you're in a field type construction to strip everything, pile it all up, and then do your work and knock it back down. But, yes, it is quite obvious," he said.
Cope Construction was awarded the $768,000 project in June.