North Limestone water main project nears completion as Kentucky American Water replaces decades-old pipes

A North Limestone water main replacement project in the Lexington area is nearing completion, Kentucky American Water said Tuesday, with utility officials describing the work as the replacement of aging cast iron pipes and installation of new main segments across multiple years of historical infrastructure. The utility’s progress comes as at least one nearby business owner told WKYT that the construction has coincided with a significant downturn in customer traffic and sales.

Kentucky American Water Senior Manager Susan Lancho said the project replaced 6,360 linear feet of cast iron water mains. She said the installation dates for the pipe segments being replaced ranged from 1884 to 1937, underscoring the age of the infrastructure the utility removed and replaced.

In reporting on the project’s closeout, WKYT said a restaurant near the work area reported a sharp drop in business during the period of construction. The station did not indicate whether the reported decline was attributed to reduced access, customer uncertainty, or other factors tied to the project, but it described the business impact as directly occurring alongside the work.

Lancho’s comments framed the replacement as part of maintaining water system reliability and updating materials that are older than most current neighborhood improvements. While the utility has said the work involves replacing existing mains, the near-completion phase suggests crews have moved through the major pipe installation and are now working toward finishing stages.

The project’s completion, if it proceeds as scheduled, would typically shift the local effects from active construction activities to restoration and normal roadway conditions. However, for businesses that reported declines, the timeline for recovery may depend on how quickly access routes, curbside conditions, and surrounding foot traffic return to pre-construction patterns.

Utility projects of this type also often involve coordination with local property owners and road work planning, since water main work can require trenching and changes to nearby access. WKYT’s report indicates the construction period overlapped with the restaurant’s reported customer reductions, highlighting how infrastructure work can affect community commerce even when the end goal is system maintenance.

Kentucky American Water did not provide additional details in the report beyond the project’s linear footage and pipe-era description, and WKYT’s story did not quantify the scale of the restaurant’s revenue loss. The remaining construction steps and the restoration timeline, along with any post-project review of business impacts, would be factors residents and affected businesses may watch in the coming days.