The Orange Water and Sewer Authority is preparing to begin its construction to replace a water main in downtown Chapel Hill, with the project targeting a start of Monday, Oct. 20. The water and sewer agency shared updates on the plan during a community meeting on Sep. 30, which detailed the phases of construction along West Rosemary Street and access plans for road users. With OWASA selecting its contractor — Moffat Pipe out of Wake Forest, N.C. — the utility has been contacting customers in the affected area and preparing the public for the extended road closure, which is estimated to last 18 months. The idea, according to OWASA, is for construction crews to complete the water main replacement from west to east, spanning from West Rosemary Street’s intersection with Merritt Mill Road to Columbia Street in eight sections. Customers in each section will be connected to a temporary water main before being connected to the new water main, with service interruptions ranging from half an ...