A crew from construction company Advance Compactors LLC is expected to begin replacing the broken sewer pipe on the Stonebridge in Onset on Friday, according to Water Pollution Control Facility Director Guy Campinha.

The crews finished installing a temporary pipeline to reroute the water on Tuesday, making way for them to begin removing insulation on the broken pipe and begin the process of replacing it.

Campinha estimated the pipeline will be replaced by Tuesday, March 22 the latest, however due to inclement weather the completion date is now set for Thursday, March 24.

The Taunton-based construction company will complete the repairs for $136,555, which includes the cost of a police detail. The only other bid came from Middleborough-based Bay State Piping Company, which estimated the project's bill to be around $162,000 not including the cost of a necessary police detail.

The state Department of Revenue approved the use of up to $200,000 in sewer enterprise funds, comprised of the fees paid by sewer users, to cover the replacement of the 111-foot pipe last week.

The DOR’s approval came just one day after an emergency meeting was held by the Board of Selectmen, who voted to allow Town Administrator Mark Andrews to seek authorization from the the state for an emergency expenditure of funds to repair the pipeline.

If it were to burst, it would lead to a loss of sewer services for residents of the Point Independence area and would result in a severe contamination of the bay, Andrews said.

The pipe ruptured on February 23, causing a shellfishing closure and clean-up of a small spill of sewage. Water Pollution Control Facility workers quickly sealed the pipe with duct tape, rubber clamps, and plastic lining to prevent any further seepage.

The Division of Marine Fisheries has since made the determination to reopen the shellfish beds that were encompassed in the closure, said Harbormaster Garry Buckminster. (Click here for more information.)

Evaluation of the situation revealed the entire pipe needs to be replaced, not just the exposed section on the Stonebridge.

The project will shut down half of the bridge while workers make the repairs, according to Campinha.