Wessex Water will be replacing water mains along the Weymouth and Bridport coast road next week (6 January) as part of its ongoing water supply improvement programme.
The water main has burst around 30 times in the last 15 years and is in urgent need of replacement.
Work will start on Monday 6 January 2014 and will be carried out along the B3157 in West Street, Market Street and Rodden Row.
It is scheduled to take up to 12 weeks to complete and during that time the B3157 will be closed to through traffic and a full diversion will be in place.
The diversion has been agreed with Dorset County Council’s highways department and traffic will use the A35 and A354 as an alternative route.
Wessex Water has held a number of meetings with local people and businesses in the village to choose a date which would cause the least amount of disruption to traffic.
The company has also agreed to provide a shuttle bus service to ensure residents remain connected to the village, including a separate shuttle bus which will run to and from the Sub Tropical Gardens.
Every year residents of Abbotsbury are given a free pass to the gardens, but are rarely able to visit as there are is no public transport to the attraction, Wessex Water’s free bus will mean anyone without their own transport will be able to use their pass.
Wessex Water design engineer Alan Marler, said they were committed to completing the work in a way that keeps disruption to a minimum.
He said: “We have worked closely with residents and traders and have listened to their concerns. We hope the buses we are providing will help reduce the amount of disruption caused throughout the work.
“It is important that people continue to support local traders while our work takes place as all businesses and services will be accessible and open as normal.”
To complete the work quickly Wessex Water will be using “no-dig” techniques, where possible, which will reduce the number of excavations that need to be made in the highway.
Mr Marler added: “These techniques will reduce the number of excavations we need to make therefore causing less disruption to local people. We will be doing everything we can to finish the work as quickly as possible.”
