UPDATE: Boil Water Order Lifted for Middletown

As of 11 am Sunday, Middletown residents are no longer advised to "boil water"as a precaution before use.

Middletown Emergency Management Operations Chief Ronald Doire, also the town's Fire Department Chief, issued the announcement Sunday morning around 10:30 am via the town's CodeRED automated phone and email messaging system.

The water has been found to be safe for consumption and residents may resume normal water usage, he said. 

On Saturday afternoon, employees of the Newport Water Divison completed repairs to the 24-inch water main, which broke late Friday night on West Main Road near the Valley Inn Restaurant, but emergency officials reportedly kept the water ban in place to conduct further quality control tests of the water and monitor the new line closely after it was repaired.

Water customers in Portsmouth on West Main Road from a point approximately 700 feet south of the intersection at Union Street (2431 West Main Rd) to the Lawton Valley Water Treatment Plant were without water service during the repair, and customers in Middletown's west end also reported low water pressure.

A precautionary boil water advisory was put in effect for Middletown and Portsmouth customers.

The 24-inch transition line that ruptured overnight Friday feeds water from the Laurent Valley Reservoir to the water plant at 2154 West Main Road, and all adjoining side streets. This is the major water main that connects service to Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport customers.

Employees of Newport Water and Portsmouth Police Department were called in for duty late Friday, during the downgraded Hurricane Earl, after only a few hours of sleep. Crews worked throughout the night to repair the water main.