BIDDEFORD — Work was expected to begin this week on a sewer separation project on Center Street in Biddeford. The work being done by Gorham Sand and Gravel Inc., is expected to take about eight weeks, city officials said.

The $1.46 million project is part of the city’s ongoing sewer separation process. The single-pipe system will be replaced with separate sewers for water and storm water flows.

Residents who live on Center Street and the surrounding area are advised to expect delays and detours as crews work to complete the project.

Construction will take place daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., said Biddeford Communications Coordinator Danica Lamontagne, with the street open to resident or business traffic only during work hours. While construction is underway, the active work area will be posted as a no parking zone, but the contractor will leave as much on-street parking open for residents as possible. Kossuth and Green Streets will operate as one-way streets from Center Street to South Street during construction.

“Once the replacement is complete, storm water will be discharged directly into receiving water, while wastewater will be treated before discharge,” said Public Works Director Jeff Demers in a news release. “Under the old system, a combination of wastewater and storm water overflow would drain into bodies of water during heavy rainstorms, causing contamination.”

The city’s ongoing Combined Sewer Overflow program is important to reduce the level and frequency of pollutant discharges into local rivers and streams, reduce basement and yard flooding, and create a safer and cleaner environment, city officials have said, and it is required under a work agreement between the city the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.