Site Description and History
The Dover Municipal Landfill Superfund Site was a municipal landfill operated by the City of Dover from 1960 to 1980. In 1977, state monitoring wells detected pollutants in groundwater migrating beyond the landfill, raising concerns for nearby residential wells and regional water supplies, including the Bellamy Reservoir.
EPA placed the Site on the National Priorities List in 1983, and cleanup work has continued since then. Early actions connected nearby homes to public water, followed by investigations, groundwater controls, groundwater extraction and treatment, and long-term monitoring. The remedy has been amended over time to address new issues such as 1,4-dioxane and PFAS, and while the site is protective in the short term, ongoing work is needed to ensure long-term cleanup is protective and prevents contaminants from reaching the Bellamy Reservoir.
The Superfund Program protects human health and the environment by investigating and cleaning up often-abandoned hazardous waste sites and engaging communities throughout the process. Many of these sites are complex and need long-term cleanup actions. Those responsible for contamination are held liable for cleanup costs. EPA strives to return previously contaminated land and groundwater to productive use.
Site Update
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services are overseeing construction work at the former Dover Municipal Landfill Superfund Site for the optimization of an existing groundwater extraction system. The Dover Group, the group responsible for conducting the cleanup at the Site, is leading the project, and Sargent Corporation is the construction contractor.
This project will build a system to pump groundwater from the Southern Plume area and send it offsite to the City of Dover wastewater treatment facility. The goal is to prevent contaminated groundwater from migrating toward the Bellamy Reservoir and to reduce contamination levels in the groundwater.
Due to limitations to construction from seasonal conditions at the Site, the work will be done in two phases. Phase I is planned for October through December 2026, and Phase II is planned for May through December 2027.
Project Area
What to Expect
In the coming weeks, Sargent will begin Phase I:
- Site preparation including clearing, grubbing, grading, and installation of erosion and sedimentation controls.
- Installation of culvert crossings.
- A new unpaved access roadway approximately 1,200 feet in length will be constructed through undeveloped wetlands on a raised mound of fill material above existing grades.
- Preparation of areas for extraction well installation.
- Installation of overhead electrical service supply.
Traffic will increase for three to four weeks during construction of the new roadway in October 2026, when trucks will make frequent deliveries of roadway materials. Traffic controls will be implemented to limit impact to the community, trucks will enter the Site at no more than 10 miles per hour, and water will be used on dry site roads during delivery hours, as needed, to control dust.
Typical work hours for the project will be 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday with work on Saturdays as needed. Utilizing the approved truck routes, fill materials will be transported to the Site from a sand and gravel pit located in the neighboring town of Madbury, New Hampshire.
