City Secures 44-Acre Conservation Easement to Protect Bellamy Reservoir Water Supply
June 5, 2025The City of Portsmouth, NH increases the protection of its surface water supply by conserving lands surrounding the Bellamy Reservoir. The City’s Department of Public Works Water Division has partnered with Southeast Land Trust of NH (SELT) to purchase a conservation easement on 44.6 acres owned by Jodi Fernald, adjacent to the Reservoir. The transaction closed on June 4, 2025.
DPW Tour of Peirce Island Wastewater Treatment Facility
May 27, 2025The City of Portsmouth Department of Public Works hosted an open house with guided public tours of the Peirce Island Wastewater Facility (WWTF) and Road Resiliency Project on Saturday, May 31, 2025. City staff guided visitors through the facility and answered questions about the City’s wastewater treatment process and the raising of Peirce Island Road.
Senior Activity Center, Gather, and Portsmouth Housing Authority Receive National Council on Aging Program of Excellence Award
May 21, 2025The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has selected the City of Portsmouth Senior Activity Center’s “Rock the Crock” program, a collaboration with Gather and the Portsmouth Housing Authority (PHA), to receive one of just seven NCOA National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) Program of Excellence Awards.
City Notes Memorial Day Observances & Facilities Closures
May 19, 2025The City announces the following Memorial Day observances:
City Receives 13th Consecutive AAA Rating from Standard & Poor’s
May 19, 2025For the 13th consecutive year, Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings has reaffirmed the City of Portsmouth’s AAA bond rating, which measures the City’s ability to manage its credit cited its opinion of “Portsmouth's very strong management and economic profile, which it thinks will likely continue to support positive financial operations, resulting in the continued maintenance of high reserves.”
Memorial Day Holiday Hours 2025
May 19, 2025- City Hall will be closed on Monday, May 26, reopening on Tuesday, May 27, from 8 am to 6 pm
- The Portsmouth Public Library will be closed on Saturday, May 24 through Monday, May 26
- The Department of Public Works trash and recycling collection on Monday, May 26 will be combined with collection o
Portsmouth & Pease Drinking Water Supply Update 2025 Q1
May 13, 2025The City of Portsmouth NH water supply sources have been resilient to the effects of drought conditions that have persisted since late summer of 2024. The Bellamy Reservoir surface-water source has recovered from the low levels observed in October due to snowmelt and late winter to early-spring precipitation.
DPW Offers Spring Clean-up Reminders and a Battery Disposal Update
May 13, 2025The City of Portsmouth Department of Public Works (DPW) marked the arrival of spring with Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, which served 254 participants, and with the annual Earth Day, and Arbor Day celebrations. DPW offers suggestions and reminders for the seasonal yard and garden cleanup and notice of a rechargeable battery disposal update.
Arts and Culture Commission Reports on First Year’s Advocacy and Accomplishments
May 5, 2025The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported recently that arts and cultural enterprises contribute $1 trillion to the national economy and, in New Hampshire, arts and culture make up 3.1 percent of the State’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Since coming through the pandemic, Portsmouth has turned a spotlight on ways to protect, preserve, and foster the arts.
City Manager Presents the Fiscal Year 2026 Proposed Budget
May 2, 2025The Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Proposed Budget for all appropriated City funds was distributed to the City Council on April 28, 2025. This budget document and accompanying interactive user guide are posted to the City website.
The release of the FY26 Proposed Budget marks the start of presentations to the City Council and the public. The City offers multiple opportunities for the public to comment on the budget, including: