Pittsfield Hydrant Flushing Schedule: Phase 2

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Monday, May 6 marks the start of phase two for the spring flushing schedule of the City of Pittsfield's water system. Water mains throughout the city will be flushed through hydrants over the next several weeks to remove accumulations of pipeline corrosion products.
 
Mains will be flushed Monday through Friday each week, except holidays, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
 
This phase of flushing is expected to occur between May 6 through May 10.
 
Flushing is to be expected to affect the following areas:
  • Starting at Unkamet Park Drive heading west up to North Street working north to the Broadway and Lakeview streets neighborhood.
  • Starting at Plastics Avenue moving west on Dalton Avenue including the Allendale and Allengate neighborhoods. Then moving west onto Tyler Street into the Morningside neighborhood, including Springside Avenue, pushing west to North Street.
  • Lincoln and Fenn streets, Silver Lake, Wendell Avenue and the surrounding vicinity, pushing west to North Street.
  • South Mountain and Tamarack roads, Dan Fox Drive, and south to the Pittsfield-Lenox line.
Although flushing may cause localized discolored water and reduced service pressure conditions in and around the immediate area of flushing, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that proper levels of treatment and disinfections are maintained in the system at all times. If residents experience discolored water, they should let the water run for a short period to clear it prior to use.
 
If discolored water or low-pressure conditions persist, please contact the Water Department at (413) 499-9339.
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Wahconah Students Join Statewide 'SOS' Call for Rural School Funding

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

DALTON, Mass. — Students at Wahconah Regional High School are urging the state to fully fund Rural School Aid that supports essential services that shape their future.
 
Rural districts across the state participated in Rural and Declining Enrollment Schools Week of Action to insist Beacon Hill fully fund rural aid at $60 million. 
 
Schools across Massachusetts sent their pleas for aid to lawmakers through letter-writing campaigns, sign-making, and coordinated gatherings where students and educators formed the letters "SOS."

Wahconah students did something different — they created an educational video detailing the need for increased funding for rural schools with the school's music teacher Brian Rabuse, who edited the video, Assistant Superintendent Aaron Robb said. 

The advocacy efforts move the issue from spreadsheets to show the human cost of a funding formula previously described as "remarkably wrong." 
 
During an interview with iBerkshires, students expressed how districts without rural aid would have to make reductions in world language programing, mental health support, extracurricular opportunities, and other areas they find essential. 
 
"Our students deserve the same quality of education as any child in Massachusetts, regardless of their ZIP code," Superintendent Mike Henault said in a press release.
 
"The week of action is an opportunity for our communities to come together and make it clear to Beacon Hill that the status quo is no longer acceptable." 
 
Rural schools attempt to create the same quality education as urban and suburban areas while balancing high fixed costs of transportation and operations of geographically large, low-population districts.
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