Water will be shut off for Blackstone’s Main Street

Water valve replacement project will require temporary service shut-offs

BLACKSTONE – A fiveday Blackstone Department of Public Works project to replace several aging underground water pipe valves will temporarily interrupt water service for most of the downtown Main Street area beginning Tuesday.

Hundreds of residents and dozens of businesses, including the Park n’ Shop shopping plaza on Main Street, will experience interrupted morning water service at various times on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week. There will be no parking on either side of Main Street during the project and the Municipal Center will close at least for one day on Tuesday.

The water main will be shut off at 9 a.m. each day. Some areas could experience two consecutive days of water service interruption.

The project will also impact North Smithfield residents who rely on Blackstone water service. North Smithfield residents on St. Paul Street up to Mendon Road, Elizabeth Avenue, Middle Street, West Street, Colerick Street and Fountain

Street will be without water from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

Blackstone town officials are planning to use the Reverse 911 system today to notify residents about the water service interruption. Information is also being posted on local cable access.

“Just about everyone is going to be affected,” said Blackstone DPW Superintendent Jimmy Sullivan. “It’s going to be a week of aggravation, but it has to be done.”

Sullivan said the original valves on the 123-year-old pipes are being replaced now before the state comes in to repave Main Street this fall.

The project will be a major inconvenience for downtown businesses, especially restaurants that rely on water. Sullivan said every attempt has been made to notify those businesses owners well in advance.

Town officials are advising residents and businesses to make arrangements for gathering water for cooking, washing and cleaning. Customers can also expect some discolored water after service is restored.

The project begins around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday on St. Paul Street at the traffic light. Crews will replace three valves at that location, which will result in water being shut off at 9 a.m. on St. Paul Street to Main Street to Federal Street to Blackstone Street, as well as all connecting side streets.

On Wednesday, crews will replace valves on Blackstone Street, which will result in interrupted water service during that same time frame in the area of the Blackstone Public Library up to the 7-Eleven on Main Street, all the way up to the north side of the bridge.

On Thursday, DPW crews will replace two valves near Bridge Street, and then back on the bottom of Federal Street. Water will be shut off that morning on the south side of the St. Paul Street Bridge, which will affect Howard Street, Pleasant Street, Mendon Street and several side streets like Mason Street and Howard Street. The DPW’s schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, July 25 - Main Street (Federal Street to Blackstone Street); St. Paul Street (Rivers Edge Road, Farnum Street, Canal Street, Mill Street, and all properties in North Smithfield).

• Wednesday, July 26 - Main Street (St. Paul Street to Bridge Street, First Avenue, Market Street, Pleasant Street).

• Thursday, July 27 - Main Street (Mendon Street to Austin Street, 8 Mendon St., Mason Street, Prospect Street, Howard Street).

• Friday, July 28 - Main Street (Mendon Street to Austin Street, 8 Mendon St., Mason Street, Prospect Street, Howard Street).

• Monday, July 31- Main Street (St. Paul Street to state line)