Managing a municipal wastewater pumping station comes with a host of challenges—frequent maintenance, unpleasant odors, and operational inefficiencies, just to name a few. The Town of Durham, NH, faced these exact issues with its Dover Road Pumping Station. Built in 1964, the station required constant attention and significant labor to address clogs and grease buildup. But thanks to a forward-thinking upgrade, it has become a model of efficiency and reliability.

The Problem: Aging Infrastructure and Constant Maintenance

The original pumping station had a wet pit/dry pit design with limited access for cleaning. Operators spent long hours manually hosing down the wet well and dealing with frequent pump clogs caused by debris and grease. Odor complaints were common, making the station a pain point for both residents and operators.

The Solution: A Self-Cleaning Trench Wet Well

In 2007, the Town of Durham, in partnership with AECOM, embarked on a significant upgrade to transform the facility. At the heart of the redesign was a self-cleaning trench wet well equipped with submersible solids-handling pumps. This innovative design minimizes solids deposition, prevents clogs, and eliminates the need for extensive manual cleaning.

Key features include:

  • Automatic cleaning cycles that take less than 5 minutes.
  • A hydraulic jump system that removes debris and grease effortlessly.
  • Compact, cost-effective construction.

The Results: A Decade of Smooth Operations

Since the upgrade, the Dover Road Pumping Station has been a resounding success. With its self-cleaning functionality, operators now spend mere minutes instead of hours on maintenance. Odor complaints are a thing of the past, and the town has saved both time and money.

Even with increasing challenges like the prevalence of wipes in wastewater, the addition of a Channel Monster in 2021 ensured uninterrupted operations. The station is now a testament to the benefits of modern wastewater technology.

Why It Matters

For municipalities grappling with aging wastewater infrastructure, the Dover Road Pumping Station serves as a shining example of how innovative design can solve longstanding problems. Whether you’re facing high maintenance costs, clogs, or odor complaints, this case study demonstrates that the right upgrades can transform your operations.

Learn More

Curious about the technical details and the full journey of this project? Check out the presentation, “Dover Road Pumping Station: A Self-Cleaning Wet Well Success Story,” by Daniel Peterson and Paul Moulton from the NEWEA Annual Conference 2025. View the presentation here.