Pittsfield to Conduct Phase Two of Water System Flushing

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield will begin phase two of its spring water system flushing on Monday, April 28, following the completion of phase one. Water mains citywide will be flushed through hydrants to remove pipeline corrosion products. Flushing will occur Monday through Friday each week, excluding holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Phase two is scheduled from April 28 to May 2.

The flushing is expected to affect the following areas:

• Starting at Unkamet Park Drive heading west to North Street, working north to the Broadway and Lakeview streets neighborhood.
• Starting at Plastics Avenue moving west on Dalton Avenue, including the Allendale and Allengate neighborhoods, then moving west onto Tyler Street into the Morningside neighborhood, including Springside Avenue, pushing west to North Street.
• Lincoln and Fenn streets, Silver Lake, Wendell Avenue, and the surrounding vicinity, pushing west to North Street.
• South Mountain and Tamarack roads, Dan Fox Drive, and south to the Pittsfield-Lenox line.

Flushing may cause temporary localized discolored water and reduced service pressure in the immediate vicinity. The city states that treatment and disinfection levels in the system will be maintained. Residents experiencing discolored water are advised to run their water for a short period to clear it before use. Persistent discolored water or low pressure should be reported to the Water Department at (413) 499-9339.

The city indicates that flushing is a standard procedure for maintaining water quality in the distribution system.

Colombian Artist Celebrates Immigrant Stories in New Pittsfield Mural

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:49AM / Saturday, October 24, 2026

Artist Laura Barrios explains the  inspiration of the mural, of immigrants building new lives in the Berkshires.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The walls along the Intermodal Center's train platform are a little more colorful following the unveiling of Let It Shine's third mural at that location, transforming a space once surrounded by bare concrete into a vibrant display of public art.

 

The unveiling on Thursday, marks the close of Let It Shine's 2026 outdoor public art season and the third year of its emerging artist program, said Mill Town Foundation Program Director Andy Wrba. 

 

Let It Shine's Emerging Artists Mentorship program was established in 2024 to support aspiring artists in the community by providing guidance, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to create large-scale public art.

 

"This mural, along with all the murals, as part of this emerging artist program, and even more broadly, all the murals that you see downtown throughout Pittsfield shows that we care about the cultural scene and we care about the creative people that live and work in our city," Wrba said.

 

The new mural, painted by Colombian artist Laura Barrios, celebrates immigrants who have built lives and found a sense of home in Berkshire County.

 

Barrios has been working on the piece for the last two months alongside mentor artist, Jesse Tobin McCauley. 

 

"It's a homage to the immigrants who work and make a home in the Berkshires … this is a very personal experience too because I am an immigrant," Barrios said in her speech.