Notices

Heat safety tips are below. Tips are also available in multiple languages at somervillema.gov/keepcool.

Top 5 Heat Safety Tips: 

1. Never leave children or pets unattended in a car or other vehicle, even for a quick errand and even if the windows are open. 

2. Stay indoors as much as possible during high heat. Limit outdoor activity to the morning and evening hours, reduce time spent in direct sun, and rest often in shady areas.

3. Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated or very sugary drinks. 

4. Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.   

5. Stay informed: Follow City social media pages (somervillema.gov/socialmedia) and contact 311 (somervillema.gov/311) for the latest information on places you can visit to cool off.

Take Care of Yourself and Others:  

• Take frequent breaks in the shade if you are working outdoors.

• To help stay cool if you don’t have air conditioning, try taking a cool shower or bath or holding a cold washcloth on your neck or wrists. Close curtains or blinds on windows that face the sun, use a fan in or next to an open window, and avoid using appliances that generate heat.

• Learn to recognize the signs of heat-related illness and how to respond. Lots of sweating and muscle cramps may be the first signs of a heat illness. Visit mass.gov/extreme-heat to find more information on preventing and treating heat-related illness.

• Check on relatives, friends, and neighbors who don’t have air conditioning or who are more likely to be affected by the heat. These groups may include older adults, infants and children, people with chronic medical conditions, and people who are pregnant.   

• If you see anyone out in the heat who appears immobile or disoriented, ALWAYS call 911 so they can receive the necessary help.  If in doubt about whether to call 911, always call. 

Tips For Pet Parents:  

• Don’t leave pets outside in hot weather for long periods of time. Keep walks on hot days short.

• Provide plenty of fresh, clean water. If outside, leave the water in a shady area.  

• Keep an eye on pets and watch for signs of discomfort on hot days. Warning signs of overheating may include excessive panting or drooling, and labored breathing. Animals with flat faces, older pets, and pets with health conditions may be more prone to overheating.

The Water Department will be hydrant flushing on Monday (7/20) from 6 PM to 12 AM. The crews will be flushing the hydrants on the following streets:

Billingham St

Cady Ave

Chandler St

Chapels St

College Ave (Broadway to Highland Ave)

Corinthian Rd

Gorham St

Holland St (Gorham St to Davis Sq)

Howard St

Irving St

Jay St

Kenwood St

Park Ave

Simpson Ave

Summit St

Thorndike St

Wallace St

William St

Winter St

Please note that adjacent streets to the flushing area may experience the same side effects to water quality and pressure as the flushing area. Please see attached and below for additional details.

Somerville Water and Sewer Department to Begin Its Annual Flushing Program

The City of Somerville’s annual Water System Flushing Program will begin the week of May 18 and conclude in late October. This annual program flushes pipes at high velocities to clean water mains and maintain the highest possible water quality.

Flushing will be done on Mondays and Thursdays between 6 p.m. and midnight to minimize disruptions to water service. In most cases, residents will not notice any changes to their water service. However, some homes may experience a temporary, slight drop in water pressure and/or discolored water. In these cases, though the water may be discolored, it is safe to drink. Until the water runs clear, it is advisable to avoid washing laundry, especially white fabrics. If any rust stains appear on wet laundry, it should not be dried, and residents can call 311 (or 617-666-3311 from cell phones or outside the city) for a free bottle of rust remover.

Residents will be notified via signage when their neighborhood will be affected by the Flushing Program. For more information, please contact the Water Department by email at water@somervillema.gov, or call 617-625-6600 ext. 5850.

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should contact the ADA Coordinator in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov.

Somerville residents may drop off household hazardous waste on the second Saturday of each month, April through November, from 9 a.m. to noon at the DPW yard (1 Franey Rd.). New this year: weeknight drop-off events are scheduled on Thursday, April 23, and November 5, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Accepted materials include motor oil, aerosol paint, household cleaning chemicals, rechargeable batteries, and more. Proof of residency, such as a driver's license or utility bill, is required and must be presented at the guard shack. Each resident should bring no more than what can fit in a car trunk. All HHW must be properly contained and transported in cardboard boxes. For more information on what is accepted and how to prep materials, visit somervillema.gov/recycling.

Please note that yard waste collection will resume the week of April 13th. Yard waste collection will occur weekly through the week of May 4 then switch to the alternating week schedule. Yard waste may be put out on the scheduled day inside a barrel marked with a red “Yard waste only” sticker or in a paper yard waste bag. “Yard waste only” stickers may be picked up at the DPW, 1 Franey Rd or the City Hall Welcome Desk, 93 Highland Ave. 311 will mail out yard waste only stickers upon request.

Please note that street sweeping will resume on April 1st and continue through December 31st. We recommend checking the posted signage on the street for the street sweeping schedule to avoid parking tickets. Additionally, note that Yard waste collection will resume the week of April 13th. Yard waste will be collected 4 weeks in a row on your regular trash day than switches to the alternating week schedule.

After reviewing mattress recycling programs in 28 nearby communities of similar size, the Department of Public Works (DPW) is introducing a Mattress and Box Spring Recycling Fee Program starting February 1, 2026. This program will help offset rising disposal costs while creating a more consistent, fair, and sustainable system for residents. It will also help deter residents of neighboring communities from disposing of their mattresses improperly in Somerville to avoid their own community’s fees.

Under the new program, residents will be charged a $55 disposal fee per unit, allowing the city to recover a portion of actual costs while continuing to provide responsible recycling services.

The new fee program will go into effect on February 1, 2026. Starting on that date, residents of eligible households wishing to dispose of a mattress or box spring will need to purchase a Disposal Sticker before scheduling a mattress pickup and placing these items on the curb. Mattresses will be collected curbside one day after regular trash collection. For residents with Friday trash pickup, mattresses will also be collected on Friday. Mattresses and box springs are counted as separate items.

How to Recycle a Mattress or Box Spring via City Services:

First, confirm that you are eligible: Only residential households in buildings with 6 or fewer units with city-managed trash collection are eligible to have the City recycle their mattress or box spring. Pickup is also limited to two bulk items per week. Residents of buildings with 7 or more units using private trash services are not eligible.

Purchase a Disposal Sticker one of three ways:

Online: Purchase through the online payment portal on the City website at somervillema.gov/payonline.

Department of Public Works (DPW): Purchase in person at the DPW Offices at One Franey Road. Check, credit cards, and money orders are accepted. No cash.

City Hall: Purchase in person at the City Clerk’s Office in City Hall at 93 Highland Avenue. Cash, check, credit card, or money order are accepted.

Schedule your mattress pickup: Residents must contact 311 Constituent Services in advance to schedule a mattress and/or box spring pickup. Call 311 at 617-666-3311 or visit somervillema.gov/311 for more ways to contact 311.

Please note: Infested or soiled mattresses must be scheduled for special pickup. Contact 311 before purchasing a sticker.

For more information on mattress recycling and disposal, please visit the City website at somervillema.gov/mattressrecycling.