Distribution

The Water Division performs the following functions for the communities served by the Portsmouth regional water system that include Portsmouth, Pease Tradeport, Newington, New Castle, Greenland and portions of Rye and Madbury:

  • Maintaining water mains, hydrants and valves;
  • Maintaining water services to the customer's shutoff valves (the customer is responsible for the private portion of their service beyond the shutoff valve);
  • Maintains/installs/reads water meters;
  • Performs backflow testing and cross connection control program;
  • Manages the Bellamy Reservoir and Madbury Surface Water Treatment Facility together with eight groundwater wells.

Water supplied to Portsmouth Water System customers comes from a combination of surface water and groundwater sources. The surface water supply is the Bellamy Reservoir which is located in Madbury and Dover. Water Flows by gravity from the reservoir to the Water Treatment Facility in Madbury where it is treated using a coagulation, dissolved air flotation and duel media filtration process. The treated water is chlorinated with sodium hypochlorite prior to distribution into the system.

There are currently three groundwater wells in Madbury (Wells #2, #3 and #4) that are pumped with the treated surface water through a transmission main to the Booster Pumping Station in Newington. Customers in Madbury, Durham and some customers along Fox Point Road in Newington receive water from the transmission main. Water is pumped from the Newington Booster Pumping Station to customers through the Portsmouth distribution system. Portsmouth is also served by three groundwater wells, two of which, Portsmouth #1 Well and Collins Well, are located off Route 33 (Greenland Road). The area in Greenland served by the public water system and a southern portion of Portsmouth is supplied primarily by the Greenland Well located off Post Road in Greenland.

The specific source(s) of water at your home or business is dependent upon your location. For example, if you live in or near downtown Portsmouth, your water is primarily from Madbury which is a blend of the treated surface water and the wells in Madbury. If you live in the southern or western sides of the City your water is more likely from the wells in Portsmouth and Greenland. The flows from these sources also vary seasonally based on water demand.