image description — The Department of Public Works has spent three days fixing water breaks, including this one in front of the fire station on Ashland Street.

North Adams Worked the Weekend Fixing Water Line Breaks

Staff Reports iBerkshires
06:02PM / Sunday, December 14, 2025Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Water Department and Department of Public Works have been responding since Friday to multiple water line breaks throughout the city that are causing temporary loss of water in some areas.

"Everyone has water or very low pressure," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey, as of Sunday evening. "We're asking people to just conserve as much as they can. Once the system gets in balance, everything will come back, but we've got to fix them."

The first break occurred Friday in the field behind the water filtration plant, which was difficult to access. That repair was completed on Sunday morning.

"Then we started at 3:30 this morning on American Legion Drive," she said. "We dad to wait a few hours for Dig Safe, which slowed us down, and they're still over there, still trying to make the repair.

"Then about, probably, I would say, eight o'clock [Sunday morning]. We were called to Carr Hardware, where we had another bubble, another break. I don't know if we'll get to that break tonight. The guys are very tired, it's cold, it's unsafe."

Crews have been working in frigid temperatures trying to find where the lines are broken and fix them. The loss of the main line caused a drop in pressure, and the pressure changes are causing more breaks.

Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau was able to assess and get the first break fixed, she said, "but now it's regulating the system and that, coupled with the cold weather, is working against us tonight, but the team has been great.

"They've been out there for almost three days. Let's face it, and they still have a couple long days ahead, and the warm weather next week is not going to help us either, because that will make more things pop. It's the nature of the beast, the system that we have."

Motorists are asked to avoid areas of State Road and American Legion Drive while repairs are underway to ensure the safety of employees and the public. In the event of an emergency, contact the Dispatch Center at 413-664-4944, Ext. 1.

Tags: water line,

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Macksey, Shade Pledge Compassion, Accountability as City Leaders

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
01:27PM / Thursday, January 01, 2026

Mayor Jennifer Macksey was sworn into a third term on Thursday; Councilor Ashley Shade was unanimously elected council president.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A new government took the reins at City Hall on New Year's Day, pledging to move North Adams forward with compassion and accountability.

"My focus, as your mayor, has been and will continue to be, one of restoring accountability, stability, strengthening city operations and making meaningful progress of long standing challenges," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey, entering her third term. "City government has worked to move from reaction to action, addressing deferred issues, while laying the foundation for future growth."

The swearing in on New Year's Day included the election of Ashley Shade as council president and Andrew Fitch as vice president.

Shade, also entering her third term, reflected on leadership as it relates to small communities and North Adams in particularly.

"It is where I learned that community is not something you inherit. It is something you practice. You practice it when times are easy and you practice it even more when times are not," she said. "I have said before that the city needs to renew its focus on investing in our most important resource — this city, the people of North Adams. I believe that with my whole heart, because, yeah, buildings matter and roads matter and budgets matter, but people, people are where everything begins."

The city has not only a woman mayor and woman council president, but also a majority of women on the City Council for the first time in its history.

Ceremonies were held in Council Chambers on Thursday morning, with state Rep. John Barrett III and city department heads in attendance. Family and friends filled the seats to see the new council and School Committee members take their oaths.

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