PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — The city’s Department of Public Utilities will flush fire hydrants across Portsmouth and its surrounding service area beginning Sept. 1, a seasonal maintenance program that officials say could leave some customers with low water pressure or discolored water for short stretches over the next five weeks.
The flushing will run in stages through Oct. 6, with different neighborhoods scheduled on different days, according to a news release from Crystal Weghorst, director of the department.
“During periods of flushing, customers may experience loss of water/low pressure/colored water for a period of time,” the department said in the release. “When flushing is completed, customers should notice an improvement in their water service.”
Hydrant flushing is a routine utility practice in which crews open hydrants to send a rush of water through the mains, clearing out sediment and mineral buildup that accumulates over time. Utilities typically run the program each spring and fall to maintain water quality and keep hydrants in working order for firefighting.
In Portsmouth, flushing in each area will begin at 6 p.m. and last approximately six to eight hours, the release said. The fall schedule is as follows:
| Date | Areas affected |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | All Sciotoville |
| Thursday, Sept. 3 | All Wheelersburg to Franklin Furnace |
| Tuesday, Sept. 8 | All New Boston, north on State Route 139, including Eden Park, Rosemount Road, west on Gallia Street to Mabert Road |
| Thursday, Sept. 10 | West on Gallia Street from Mabert Road, all areas south of 11th Street to Charles Street and west of Offnere Street |
| Tuesday, Sept. 15 | North to the end of Mabert Road from Gallia Street, including the Wayne Hills area, west from Robinson Avenue, Young Street to Offnere Street, and areas north to Kinney’s Lane |
| Thursday, Sept. 17 | South from 11th Street and Offnere Street to Front Street and streets west from Offnere Street to Chillicothe Street |
| Tuesday, Sept. 22 | North from 12th Street and Offnere Street to Kinney’s Lane, all streets west to Chillicothe Street, north to the end of Argonne Road, north on Scioto Trail to Coles Boulevard, and east on Coles Boulevard to and including Shawnee Road |
| Thursday, Sept. 24 | All streets in the south/west end of Portsmouth |
| Tuesday, Sept. 29 | All West Portsmouth, including Friendship, north on Routes 73/104 |
| Thursday, Oct. 1 | All of the Rosemount area and north on Route 23 |
| Tuesday, Oct. 6 | All high-pressure areas |
Residents in affected areas are advised to check their tap water before doing laundry or other tasks where discoloration could be a problem, and to run cold water for a few minutes if it appears cloudy or tinted following flushing in their area.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the City of Portsmouth Department of Public Utilities.
