Serving around 47,000 predominantly residential customers across 27 square miles in San Rafael, California, Ross Valley Sanitary District manages an extensive wastewater system that includes five major pump stations. For years, these pump stations were a constant source of maintenance headaches due to the unreliability of the existing channel grinders.
“We were dealing with backups way too often — sometimes twice a week, other times twice a day,” says Philip Marcantonio, senior collection system worker. “It was exhausting. The grinders just weren’t doing the job, and the pumps kept getting clogged.”
The inefficiency of the previous equipment created ongoing operational disruptions, not to mention high labor and repair costs. The situation was becoming increasingly unsustainable.
That’s when engineers recommended installing the Franklin Miller DIMMINUTOR, a change that dramatically improved the district’s operations. “It completely turned things around,” says operations supervisor Noel Sandoval. “As soon as we put the DIMMINUTOR in, those recurring problems stopped.”
Unlike traditional grinders, the DIMMINUTOR features a unique configuration of multi-toothed rotary and fixed cutters that can be easily replaced or adjusted without dismantling the entire unit. The machine also includes a rugged, stationary screen that captures larger solids and is automatically cleaned by the rotating cutters. Its design avoids wear near the channel floor thanks to a cantilevered structure, eliminating the need for seals or bearings in gritty areas.
Marcantonio, impressed by the equipment’s performance, notes, “The ‘Dimmy’ really is a standout machine. It just works. Maintenance is quick; every six months we do a basic inspection and cleaning, and that’s it.”
The reversing bidirectional cutters, which alternate direction every two hours, play a big role in keeping the unit effective and minimizing wear. “The auto-reverse feature really helps break up tough materials and keeps the teeth in good shape,” Marcantonio says. “We used to deal with constant failures — grinders overheating, seizing up and triggering alarms. Now, our on-call staff isn’t constantly being dispatched, which is saving the district time and money.”
Franklin Miller’s customer service also left a strong impression on the Ross Valley team. “They’ve been phenomenal,” Sandoval says. “Whenever we reach out, they respond quickly. They’ve even visited our site to ensure everything was running at peak performance and welcomed us to their New Jersey facility for hands-on training.”
Marcantonio sums it up: “These machines are absolute tanks. Reliable, durable — real workhorses. They’ve made a world of difference for us.”
Sandoval agrees. “We’ve stuck with Franklin Miller because the machines are exceptional — and the people behind them are just as dependable.”
