For about six months, residents of Marianna Street in Wellsburg have dealt with noise, dirt and dust due to construction.

The water line replacement project should wrap up this Wednesday. Saundra Wells, who's lived on Marianna Street for 13 years, said she's counting down the days.

"I had lung cancer last year, and I got along fine with it, and I didn't have to have any treatment or anything. But with all this dust and this dirt going on, I called a lot of the city officials, the water officials, as to if they could lay some water down or anything because I was worried about my health," Wells said.

According to City Manager Mark Henne, the process was necessary to make upgrades. The pipe that's being replaced was four inches wide, while it should have been six inches, he said. The smaller pipe makes it difficult for fire hydrants to work properly, since the water pressure may have been too low, he said.

"When you're doing this kind of work, you're shaking everything up under there," Henne said. "We've had a little dirty water from time to time, and also we've had dust in the neighborhoods, and we appreciate everything the citizens have done to work with us -- and I know that it's been painstaking."

Henne said that the city is coming into compliance with code by making these upgrades to the pipes and hydrants. Wells, who said she realizes the project is necessary, said she would have liked the work to have been done in a more timely manner. However, she said she does feel safer now.

"It makes me feel a lot better now, -- that we'll be safer, because there's just a fire hydrant right there, and it will save the house knowing that there is the bigger lines," Wells said.

According to Henne, the city is also working on installing water line valves throughout Wellsburg. When there is a break, the valves will make it possible for crews to only turn off small portions of the city's water, instead of shutting half of all of the city off as they've previously done. He said these projects are only small parts of an ongoing effort to improve the water system in Wellsburg.