A $232-million project meant to keep sewage from spilling into the Ottawa River is six months behind schedule.

The project, which will build two downtown tunnels for surface runoff and wastewater, was supposed to be finished in 2019.

But in a memo this afternoon, the City says the project will be extended into 2020.

It says the delay has been caused by "challenges" while assembling the boring machine that will carry out the digging.

The City says the project is still on budget.