Portsmouth Water Division accepts award from New England Water Works Assocation
January 18, 2019On Thursday, January 17th, City staff attended the New England Water Works Association’s (NEWWA) monthly meeting to receive its 2018 Public Communications Award. NEWWA recognized the City for its excellence in communications through comprehensive public outreach materials and programs. Please click here for information on the recognition.
Portsmouth Water Division offers update on PFAS regulations
January 3, 2019On December 31, 2018, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) initiated rulemaking to establish Maximum Contaminate Levels (MCLs) and Ambient Groundwater Quality Standards (AGQS) for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) to ensure greater protection of public health related to the consumption of drinking water.
Portsmouth acquires large conservation easement near Bellamy Reservoir to assist water quality efforts
December 19, 2018The City of Portsmouth’s Water Division is pleased to announce the acquisition of a conservation easement on 72 acres of property adjacent to the Bellamy Reservoir in Madbury, New Hampshire from Dave Olson. This easement was realized through the combined efforts of the City, the Southeast Land Trust (SELT), the Town of Madbury and the State of New Hampshire’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund.
November 2018 Water Supply Status Report
November 7, 2018Higher than normal precipitation over the past three months have caused the quantity of available groundwater and surface water to be greater than normal for this time of year. The quality of the surface water has greatly improved and stabilized since the dynamic water quality changes that occurred in late September and October.
Pease Tradeport Water System Update presented to City Council
October 2, 2018On October 1, 2018, Deputy Public Works Director Brian Goetz shared an update on the Pease Tradeport Water System and upgraded PFAS treatment.
Portsmouth and the U.S. Air Force move forward with next phase of upgrading Pease Tradeport water treatment
September 14, 2018The City of Portsmouth and the United States Air Force have recently signed their latest agreement to treat perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from water supplied by the Smith, Harrison and Haven Wells serving the Pease Tradeport drinking water system. The agreement will provide the City with up to $14.3 million to reimburse the cost of construction of the final treatment system for all three wells, which will include a dual filtration system consisting of resin and granular activated carbon filters.
September 2018 Water Supply Status Report
September 5, 2018While significant rainfall at the end of July into August was beneficial at the time for Portsmouth’s water supply, the current warm and dry conditions increases water supply demands and places further stress to treat quality issues due to added organics within the water.
Water Division Asks Customers to Limit Water Use
August 28, 2018While significant rainfall at the end of July into August was beneficial at the time for Portsmouth's water supply, the extreme heat conditions continue to place strain on the City's water system. The ongoing heat increases water supply demands and places further stress to treat quality issues due to added organics within the water. Additionally, the annual precipitation average remains below normal due to the dry spring and the City continues to operate without the support of the Haven Well.
Portsmouth Water Division Receives Public Communications Award from the New England Water Works Association
August 20, 2018The City of Portsmouth’s Water Division has been named a recipient of the New England Water Works Association’s (NEWWA) Public Communications Award; this award recognizes excellence in communications through comprehensive public outreach materials and programs.
August 2018 Water Supply Status Report
August 2, 2018Precipitation events during the last couple weeks of July considerably reduced water demands. As the accompanying information shows, this rainfall also resulted in slightly higher than normal stream flows, reservoir levels and recharge to our water supplies.