Update: Water Main Now Fixed, Boil Water Advisory Remains in Effect for Middletown and Portsmouth Customers

Employees of the Newport Water Divison have completed repairs to the 24-inch water main, which broke late Friday night on West Main Road near the Valley Inn Restaurant.

According to an announcement from Newport Water, service has been restored to all Portsmouth customers who saw a disruption in their water service due to the repair.

Water customers in Portsmouth on West Main Road from a point approximately 700 feet south of the intersection at Union Street (2431 West Main Rd) to the Lawton Valley Water Treatment Plant were without water service during the repair.

Pressure in the entire water system has been restored to normal levels, according to Newport Water.

A precautionary boil water advisory remains in effect until further notice for Middletown customers. Portsmouth residents, whose services were just restored, are also asked to boil their water.

Newport Water recommends that water being used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, cooking or bathing of infants should be boiled for one minute and allowed to cool before using. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Bottled water can also be used. 

To read the complete boil water advisory, click here.

The water main break and advisory does not affect customers of the Portsmouth Water & Fire District.

A nearly mile and a half section of West Main Road, from Union Street to Stringham Road, was closed to traffic late Friday into Saturday.

Police said West Main Road should be reopened to traffic within the next couple hours. Local residents, including those living at Bay View Apartments, are allowed access to their homes.

The break occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. Friday about 1,200 feet from the intersection of Union Street and West Main Road.

The 24-inch transition line feeds water from the Laurent Valley Reservoir to the water plant at 2154 West Main Road, and all adjoining side streets. This is the major water main that connects service to Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport customers.

Employees of Newport Water and Portsmouth Police Department were called in for duty late Friday, during the downgraded Hurricane Earl, after only a few hours of sleep.

Crews worked throughout the night to repair the water main.