Press Releases/What’s New

Chief Mark Newport of the Portsmouth Police Department is invoking his emergency powers and ordering that no parking will be permitted on Grafton Drive, including the truck turnaround, on Friday, September 5th; Saturday, September 6th; and Sunday, September 7th, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. 

Vehicles parked on Grafton Drive or in the truck turnaround during these times will be towed at the owner's expense.

The Department of Public Works Parking Enforcement Department, which manages the school crossing guard schedule, asks motorists to be mindful of increased pedestrian activity and to follow the directions from crossing guards with vests and signs as they assist students and their guardians who are walking and biking to school. Drivers are urged to be vigilant near school neighborhoods, to plan routes away from heavy school traffic if travel is time-sensitive, and to obey posted school speed limits and crossing guard signals.

The City has resumed the implementation of its Citywide Wayfinding Program, developed to enhance wayfinding types, messaging, and locations in a uniform and recognizable design that is unique to the City. 

The City of Portsmouth NH Department of Public Works Water Division has issued a Water Supply Status Report to inform Portsmouth Water System customers of the current water supply conditions and encourage water use efficiency measures. The region has received very little precipitation since May, and the Water Division advises customers to limit their outdoor watering at this time. 

The Seacoast area is currently in a Moderate Drought according to the US Drought Monitor program. There has only been 2.6 inches of precipitation in the area since May 2025. This is about 6.4 inches below normal for this period. The recent dry and hot weather has also caused a spike in water demand up to 5.7 million gallons per day (MGD) on average, which exceeds the 10-year average for August of 5.0 MGD. 

The City of Portsmouth Department of Public Works will hold the next semiannual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at the Public Works facility at 680 Peverly Hill Road. Residents of Portsmouth, Greenland, and Newington are encouraged to bring household chemicals for safe disposal between 8 am and 12 noon. Collection Day is organized as a drive-through service. Residents remain in their vehicles and pull through the Public Works garage, where staff will remove disposable items from car trunks.