Investigation works at two South Ayrshire burial grounds are set to go into the winter of 2023.
Council chiefs admitted this week that the projected finish line to complete both Ayr and Troon Cemeteries will be two years since the first discovery was made at the Holmston Road graveyard.
Work to exhume bodies from 126 lairs at the water-ingress hit Ayr Cemetery began in August.
More than two months on, Ayrshire Live can reveal that 20 lairs have been worked on by chief exhumer Peter Mitchell and his specialist team.
It is also understood that families wishing to have a reburial service for a loved one will only be able to do so on a Thursday or Friday.
Families affected by the crisis have been sent letters this week to confirm the move which is understood will stop delays to the works, with Mr Mitchell unable to work on reburial days.
It is understood that Mr Mitchell will also stop works over the Christmas period, with works set to finish just before Christmas and resume in early January.
The world-renowned exhumer was drafted in by South Ayrshire Council after water was discovered inside chambers last October.
Mr Mitchell is set to work into spring time in Ayr next year before attention is turned to Troon where the same issue with water ingress is also feared.
A council spokesperson said: "To date Peter Mitchell Associates has worked on 20 lairs and completed the drainage works commissioned by our civil engineering consultants.
"There are many factors that can impact on the scheduled programme of works and at this point Mr Mitchell is unable to specify a completion date for the programme. We can however advise that we expect the programme for Ayr and Troon to run into the winter of 2023."
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