Spinney Road Water Storage Tank Project Begins in September

The Portsmouth Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation Project is scheduled to begin on September 2, 2026, with the draining and disconnection of the City’s one-million-gallon water storage tank located on Spinney Road. This tank will be offline from September 2 to November 6, 2026, for painting and maintenance activities. The project may result in slight pressure variations in the Portsmouth water distribution system over the duration of the project, but otherwise this project is not anticipated to affect customer water service.

On September 2, 2026, the water level in the tank will be lowered which will cause a temporary reduction in system water pressure by approximately six pounds per square inch (psi) below typical levels. System pressure will recover overnight, so by the morning of September 3, customers should experience typical pressure and flow from their fixtures.

Water remaining in the tank after the drawdown on September 2 will be drained from the bottom of the Spinney Road Tank in order to perform the maintenance and painting of the tank’s interior. This draining is expected to occur between September 2 and 6, 2026. Water will flow at a low rate across Spinney Road to stormwater inlets. Message boards will be situated on Spinney Road and staff will monitor the draining activities to ensure water in the road does not impact driver safety. In October and early November, there will also be periods of time when the tank will need to be drained as part of the cleaning and disinfection process prior to putting the tank back online.

The project can be followed at the Water Storage Tanks Rehabilitation Projects page.