City Issues Water Supply Status Report Encouraging Efficient Water Use Due to Severe Drought Conditions

The City of Portsmouth NH Department of Public Works Water Division has issued a Water Supply Status Report, an update of its August report, to inform Portsmouth Water Division customers of the latest water supply conditions. 

As the Report details, the seacoast area is currently in a severe drought according to the US Drought Monitor program, having received only 5.5 inches of precipitation since May 2025 which is about 8.4 inches below normal for this period. However, according to Al Pratt, the City’s Water Resource Director, “Water supply sources are currently meeting system demands and though surface water levels and groundwater levels are below normal, they remain within an acceptable range for this time of year. The demand for water is dropping due to the cooler weather and reduction in irrigation use.”

“The City is not implementing water use restrictions at this time,” Pratt said. “As the system experiences the typical seasonal reductions in water use, restrictions would not produce additional substantial changes in the system demand. City water operations staff continue to assess reservoir and groundwater impacts and adjust operations to best manage water resources. We encourage everyone to follow best practices for water use efficiency and conservation.” The City’s “Think Blue” program offers suggestions: portsnh.co/ThinkBlue.

For more information, please contact Al Pratt, Water Resource Director at 603-520-0622 or Mason Caceres at 603-312-3804.