A four-hour shutdown of the city's water system has been scheduled for tonight for at least six downtown streets, part of a plan to replace water valves in connection with the city's Combined Sewer Overflow project.
In a "Code Red" message sent to residents who have signed up for the free notification service on the city's Web site, Mayor Carolyn Kirk said the water service will be shut down for the four-hour time frame beginning tonight around 8 p.m. while the Department of Public Works is "performing work in the water system."
That work involves replacement of valves within the city's water system. Kirk emphasized in a phone interview that the work part of scheduled work to address the city's Combined Sewer Overflow issue to prevent sewer water and stormwater from running off into the harbor.
Tonight's shutdown will actually be a test for work that will be done next Tuesday, Kirk said in the prepared statement. To that end, the water service for the same streets is also expected to be shut down next Tuesday, Nov. 24.
"Tonight is a test to make sure they can isolate the water system properly, in order to replace the valves next Tuesday," Kirk said.
The streets affected by the shutdown will include:
Prospect Street
Dale Avenue
Elm Street
Chestnut Street
Pleasant Street
Warren Street
If the test area expands, other streets that could be affected may include:
Smith Street
Prospect Square
Shepard Street
Federal Street
Liberty Street
Allen Street
Middle Street.
Once the water is back on line tonight, residents may experience brown water "for a short period of time," the city's announcement said. If that problem persists, residents are encouraged to contact the DPW at 978-281-9785.
We will update this story as needed here at gloucestertimes.com. To have text messages regarding this and other local Breaking News stories sent to your mobile phone, sign up for the Times free text-alert service on the gloucestertimes.com home page. For full coverage, look to tomorrow's print and online editions of the Gloucester Daily Times and gloucestertimes.com.
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