The emergency closure of an Ayr road is to last up to a month, according to exerts.
South Harbour Street was sealed off on Thursday as Scottish Water engineers dealt with a burst sewer pipe running along the River Ayr.
The road is closed from the bottom of Fort Street to New Bridge Street.
And bosses at the firm believe the town centre route could be closed for another four weeks while a permanent repair is carried out.
Specialist dive teams are also on the scene and pumps are also onsite to 'minimise' any potential environmental impact, Scottish Water confirmed today.
There is currently no through route for any vehicles but local access is being allowed for residents, businesses and pedestrians. Diversions are in place for motorists.
A spokeswoman for Scottish Water said: “We appreciate this is a very busy area of Ayr and that the road closure has led to a substantial diversion through the town. However the closure is essential in order for our teams to work safely and for the safety of people in the area.
“Given the location of the pipe we can only work at low tide which makes this a complex repair which could take some time to carry out. We want to assure road users and the community we will do all we can to minimise disruption and complete the work as quickly as possible.
“We appreciate the road closure will cause some delays in the coming weeks and inconvenience and apologise for this. We than all road users and the community for their ongoing patience and understanding while we work on this vital repair. We will remain on site until the permanent repairs are complete and will continue to liaise and update the community including impacted residents and businesses.”
The pipe became dislodged on Thursday evening and the utility has been on site since then.
Scottish Water say they will continue to liaise with the local harbour authority, Marine Scotland and SEPA.
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