PORTSMOUTH — From fixing water lines and cleaning storm drains to launching work on the riverfront project, Portsmouth city crews stayed busy throughout April, according to the latest report from City Manager Sam Sutherland.
The monthly report gives a behind-the-scenes look at the kind of work residents often don’t see until something goes wrong — or until a new project finally starts taking shape.
One of the biggest developments mentioned in the report is that construction officially began on Portsmouth’s long-awaited riverfront project. The report also says work on the new city building and water treatment plant construction is continuing to move forward.
Meanwhile, city sewer and drainage crews spent April tackling a long list of maintenance work across Portsmouth. Crews dug 21 times, ran 15 storm lines, cleaned 22 sanitary lines, cleaned out 18 sanitary manholes, cleaned 12 storm basins and installed six new tent holes.
Flood defense crews were also busy preparing the levee system for spring and summer weather.
According to the report, crews cut grass and picked up trash along the earthen levee while also dealing with homeless encampments that officials said were making maintenance difficult in some areas. The city said crews had to remove trash and structures that interfered with levee work. Workers also continued repairs to floodwall gates and removed trees and brush that were blocking access and visibility.
Portsmouth’s wastewater department handled a variety of infrastructure repairs and upgrades during the month.
At the Portsmouth plant, crews installed electric conduit in the new DCLA building, worked on transfer pumps and piping, repaired equipment at the 17th Street pump station and completed repairs at the filter press building. At the Sciotoville plant, sludge hauling continued and the computer system was upgraded.
The water department also responded to several water main breaks throughout the city during April, including repairs on Winchester Street, Sycamore Street, Sohners Lane, Fairview Avenue, Harding Avenue, Summit Street, Longview and Old Scioto Trail. Crews also replaced about 960 feet of 10-inch water main on 9th Street from Chillicothe Street east to Findlay Street and installed three new fire hydrants.
Police and fire crews stayed active throughout the month as well.
According to the report, Portsmouth police handled 1,722 calls for service in April alone. By the end of April, officers had already responded to 6,166 calls for the year. The department also issued 110 parking citations and 88 moving citations during April.
The police impound lot also continued generating revenue for the city. The report shows the impound lot brought in more than $57,000 so far this year while expenses totaled about $18,000, leaving a net revenue of just over $39,000.
Fire and EMS crews were especially busy with emergency medical calls.
The report shows Portsmouth Fire and EMS responded to 323 incidents in April, with EMS calls making up the overwhelming majority. The department also completed 41 inspections during the month, most of them residential inspections.
Overall, the report paints a picture of a city balancing everyday maintenance with larger long-term projects — while crews continue handling thousands of calls, repairs and public safety issues behind the scenes every month.