Washington and Main Water Improvements

• Contractors are scheduled to dig temporary water connection pits Monday and Tuesday, May 3 and 4, along Central Avenue/Main Street and Washington Street.
• Individual connections to the temporary water system are planned to occur Wednesday through Friday, May 5-7. Temporary water shutoffs will be required and expected to last no more than two to three hours.
• City of Dover staff is reaching out to water customers to schedule times for water hookups.
• All work during the week of May 3, including temporary water shutoffs, are scheduled to occur during daytime hours.
• More disruptive work is likely to begin the week of May 17, when contractors begin digging sections of deep trenches along Washington Street and Main Street to replace the eight-inch 133-year-old pipe with a new 12-inch water main. Traffic will be reduced to one lane and detoured where necessary.
• Drivers should pay close attention to the construction signs when driving and parking downtown. Temporary water mains are laid along the curb and marked by construction barrels and signs. If water lines are hit by a vehicle, it could result in a rupture of the lines and damage to the vehicle.
• Many steel plates will be placed on the sidewalks in the downtown area. Pedestrians should remain attentive and use caution when walking along sidewalks in work areas.
• Report any damage to the temporary water system to police dispatch at 603-742-4646.

Monday, May 3:

• Excavation of temporary water connection pits on Washington Street between Central Avenue and the Washington Street Bridge. Pits will be covered with steel plates once excavated.
• Parking restrictions will be in place on the north side of Washington Street between Central Avenue and the Washington Street Bridge. Restrictions will be removed as work is completed.
• No water shutoffs anticipated.

Tuesday, May 4:

• Excavation of temporary water connection pits on Central Avenue between Chapel Street and Broadway. Pits will be covered with steel plates once excavated.
• Parking restrictions will be required along Central Avenue between Chapel Street and Broadway. Restrictions will be removed as work is completed.
• No water shutoffs anticipated.

Wednesday through Friday, May 5-7:

• Contractors will be connecting properties to the temporary water system. The City will reach out to water customers to schedule two to three-hour time blocks for temporary water shutoffs.
• No water shutoffs are anticipated to extend beyond the scheduled time blocks.
• Intermittent parking restrictions will be required throughout the work area as contractors connect water users to the temporary water system.

The work schedule may change depending on conditions on the ground, and as much advanced notice as possible will be provided for significant schedule changes.

Any questions associated with the water shutoffs should be directed to the City’s Community Services Department at 516-6450. Questions related to parking should be directed to the Parking Bureau at 516-6132.

Email updates

The City of Dover sends regular email updates about the project. To sign-up, visit bit.ly/doverdownload and select "Project updates: Washington and Main Water Improvements."

About this project

The City of Dover is committed to proactively maintaining the municipal water system to ensure consistent high-quality water is available to those who live in, work in and visit the City. As part of the ongoing effort to replace the oldest and most at risk of failure water infrastructure, the Washington Street and Main Street Water Improvements project will target replacement of some of the oldest water distribution pipes in the Downtown area.

The project area includes all of Main Street, Washington Street from Central Avenue to Main Street and a portion of Henry Law Avenue closest to Washington Street. Replacement infrastructure includes approximately 3,000 feet of new ductile iron water main that meets the needs to today’s water systems and will provide reliable water service for the next 100+ years.

After a competitive process, the City Council at its Oct. 14, 2020 meeting, authorized the City of Dover to contract with N. Granese & Sons, Inc. of Salem, Massachusetts to complete the work. Underwood Engineers is the City’s engineering consultant who completed the design and will oversee the construction. Construction is anticipated to begin in March of 2021 and be completed in October 2021.

Due to the high vehicular and pedestrian traffic within the project area, many construction measures have been included in the design and construction contract to limit project disturbance. These measures include, temporary water services, night work, and limited construction hours. Although, these construction measures are designed to help, the area will undoubtedly experience temporary traffic congestion and service disruptions, the City asks the public for patience and understanding as we work through this critical infrastructure project.

An information meeting was held Monday Feb. 8, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the meeting was held virtually. 

For more information or questions about the project, contact Assistant City Engineer Max Kenney, PE at m.kenney@dover.nh.com or (603) 516-1915.

As the project progresses, abutters and residents can sign up to receive regular updates via email. To sign up, visit bit.ly/doverdownload and select "Project updates: Washington and Main Water Improvements."