The City of Portsmouth just dropped a detailed June report—and it’s clear that while you were sweating through the first heatwave of summer, city employees were hard at work building, fixing, hauling, patching, protecting, and planning. Here’s a breakdown of the month’s highlights department by department, showcasing just how much is being done behind the scenes to keep the city running smoothly.
🏛️ Administration
- Construction on the New City Building and the Water Treatment Plant is moving full steam ahead.
- These long-awaited projects will improve service delivery and public safety for decades to come.
🌇 Community Development
- Working on the Appalachian Community Grant Program to bring investment and revitalization to the region.
- Hosted community design meetings with architects and engineers to gather input for a revamped riverfront project.
🛠️ Engineering & Public Works
🚽 Sewer Maintenance & Drainage
- 14 Dig Downs
- 26 Storm Lines Installed
- 9 Sanitary Lines Installed
- 12 Manholes Cleaned
- 13 Storm Basins Cleared
- 14 Dye Tests performed to detect issues
That’s a whole lot of mud, grit, and pipes—and it keeps your toilets flushing and streets draining.
🧹 Code Enforcement
- Investigated 26 complaints: tall grass, garbage, maintenance issues—you name it.
- Every one of these complaints is a step toward cleaner, safer neighborhoods.
🚒 Fire/EMS
- Responded to 296 incidents, including:
- 193 Ambulance Runs
- Multiple fires
- 22 Lift Assists (helping folks who fell and couldn’t get up)
- 34 False Alarms or Unintentional Triggers
- 2 People Rescued from Stuck Elevators
- Most common medical calls: chest pains and falls.
Our firefighters and medics are out there every day, saving lives, comforting the injured, and answering calls no matter the hour. 💪
🌊 Flood Defense
- Crews mowed the levee, monitored pump stations, and made electrical upgrades at Station #6 ($5,500).
- Working on quotes for a major Mill Street gate replacement.
🚓 Police Department
- 📞 9,341 calls for service so far in 2025
- 🚗 322 moving citations
- 🅿️ 90 parking citations
- 🚙 Impound Lot Revenue: $85,863.60
- Expenses: $27,788.75
- Net Revenue: $58,074.85
- 🔧 Auctioned vehicles brought in $8,968, with expenses of $7,009.
From traffic stops to impound lots, officers are out there keeping order—and keeping the streets a little safer.
🧺 Public Service
🗑️ Trash Collected in June
- 739.48 tons of city trash
- 999.28 tons of other trash
- 💰 Revenue:
- June: $70,348.90
- Year-to-date: $321,162.34
⚰️ Cemetery Services
- 5 funerals in June
Every trash run and burial reflects the city’s commitment to dignity, cleanliness, and public service.
💧 Water Department
Crews tackled 12 major repairs and hydrant replacements around the city and Sciotoville. Highlights include:
- New hydrants at Offenere Street, 3rd & Bloom, and Kentland & Harding
- Multiple water main repairs from 7th Street to Rosemount Road
These repairs prevent outages and keep clean water flowing through the city.
💩 Wastewater Treatment
🏭 Portsmouth Plant
- Reset heater, cleaned debris, greased equipment, and repaired sludge pump fittings
- Maintenance on motors and tanks, oil changes, and even rebuilt a booster pump
🌧️ Sciotoville Plant
- Installed new weather monitoring equipment
- Cleaned probes and requested new influent pump quotes
Not glamorous—but essential for environmental safety and public health. ✅
💼 Personnel
- City employees continue to rise to the challenge, supporting massive infrastructure upgrades and delivering essential services in every department.
💬 Final Thoughts
From flood defense to fixing water mains, policing the streets to cleaning out storm drains, Portsmouth city workers are doing the often thankless work that keeps everything running. Behind every hydrant repair, every sewer line dug, and every trash pickup is a team that shows up, works hard, and keeps our city moving forward.
👏 Let’s give our city workers and first responders the appreciation they deserve. They’re not just clocking in—they’re building a better Portsmouth. 💙