Central Avenue water main replacement begins March 30

posted on 3/3/2026; updated 3/5/2026

The City of Dover is replacing a critical water main on Central Avenue from Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive to Broadway. The main will also be replaced on Abbey Sawyer to the Garrison Hill water tank. Work is anticipated to begin the week of March 30, 2026 with substantial completion by the end of November 2026.

A neighborhood meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 at 6 p.m. in the Community Room at the Dover Police Station, 46 Chestnut St. The contractor, design consultant and city staff will be on hand to give an overview of the project and answer questions. 

The project will affect traffic along a busy city corridor and will include rolling parking restrictions in the work area.

There will also be temporary impacts on water service affecting customers on Central Avenue and adjoining side streets. To isolate sections of the water main for replacement, crews will install isolation valves on the connecting mains. These valves will allow water service to continue to all areas except the water main section being replaced. However, installing the isolation valves requires interruptions to water service in select areas.

Installation of isolation valves will occur at night, with water shut off from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., though the goal is to restore water service sooner if possible. The following streets will be affected by this work at some point during the project, but not at the same time: Fourth, Pierce, Preble, New York, Hough, Hill, Ham, Ash, Reservoir, Oak, and Abbey Sawyer. Water customers will receive at least a 24-hour notice before scheduled water shut-offs.

There will also be brief water service interruptions when the contractor makes individual service connections to the main. On Abbey Sawyer Memorial Drive and some sections of Central Avenue, customers will be connected to a temporary water system, with brief service interruptions when connected to the temporary main and again to the new main. The contractor will notify customers when these interruptions occur, which can last up to 60 minutes, but typically much shorter. 

Access to Garrison Hill will also be affected during construction hours when the main on Abbey Sawyer is replaced, anticipated to occur in August.

The City Council awarded the project contract to S.U.R. Construction, Inc. for $6,975,450, following a competitive bid process.

Sign-up for project update emails

As the project develops, the City of Dover will issue frequent email updates to help residents and businesses plan for the construction disruption, including upcoming water service interruptions. Visit the city's newsletter signup page and add “Project Updates: Central Avenue Urban Core Water Improvements” to your email subscription list.

For more information, contact Community Services at 603-516-6450.