Central Square water main work gets underway in Keene

Friday, August 28, 2026 at 1:15 PM

The replacement mains will not be put into service immediately.

Keene’s downtown overhaul moved another step forward Thursday afternoon, when crews trimmed new water pipe sections to fit the planned route beneath Central Square.

The installation of flexible iron water mains started this week on the west side of the square, following last month’s launch of the $28 million infrastructure project. The new material is designed to handle some bending and shifting without rupturing, unlike the cast iron lines that will eventually be taken out.

According to Don Lussier, the replacement mains will not be put into service immediately. They must first be installed, then tested and cleaned before water begins flowing through them. Removal of the older pipes, some of which were laid in the 1800s, is expected to start in about a month.

Casella plans to complete part of the Central Square work by November, then resume the rest in the spring. The broader project, which also includes utility upgrades under Main Street, is scheduled to last three years and will add surface changes such as wider sidewalks, new traffic signals at Central Square and protected bike lanes.