Flushing of Pittsfield's Water System to Begin Tuesday

Staff Reports 08:00AM / Friday, September 01, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city of Pittsfield's Department of Public Utilities announced flushing of the city's water system will begin Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Water mains throughout the city will be flushed through hydrants over the course of four weeks to remove accumulations of pipeline corrosion products. Mains will be flushed Monday through Friday each week, except holidays, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The upcoming flushing for the week of September 5 may be expected to affect the following areas:
Starting at the town line on Dalton Avenue working west through Coltsville including lower Crane Avenue, Meadowview neighborhood, following Cheshire Road north.
Hubbard Avenue and Downing Parkway.
Starting at the town line on East Street working west through the McIntosh and Parkside neighborhoods.
Elm Street neighborhoods west to the intersection of East Street.
Starting at the town line on Williams Street working west including Mountain Drive, Ann Drive, East New Lenox Road, and Holmes Road neighborhoods.

Although flushing may cause localized discolored water and reduced service pressure conditions in and around the immediate area of flushing, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that proper levels of treatment and disinfections are maintained in the system at all times.

If residents experience discolored water, they should let the water run for a short period to clear it prior to use.

If discolored water or low-pressure conditions persist, please contact the Water Department at (413) 499-9339.

Tags: hydrants,

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Dalton Officials Talk Meters Amidst Rate Increases

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:44AM / Tuesday, February 03, 2026

DALTON, Mass. — The anticipated rise in the water and sewer rates has sparked discussion on whether implementing meters could help mitigate the costs for residents

The single-family water rate has been $160 since 2011, however, because of the need to improve the town's water main infrastructure, prices are anticipated to increase.

"The infrastructure in town is aged … we have a bunch of old mains in town that need to be changed out," said Water Superintendent Robert Benlien during a joint meeting with the Select Board.

The district had contracted Tighe and Bond to conduct an asset management study in 2022, where it was recommended that the district increase its water rates by 5 percent a year over five years, he said.

This should raise enough funds to take on the needed infrastructure projects, Benlien said, cautioning that the projections are a few years old so the cost estimates have increased since then.

"The AC mains, which were put in the '60s and '70s, have just about reached the end of their life expectancy. We've had a lot of problems down in Greenridge Park," which had an anticipated $4 million price tag, he said.

The main on Main Street, that goes from the Pittsfield/town line to North Street, and up through woods to the tank, was priced at $7.6 million in 2022, he said.

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