Residents are being assured a ghastly pong in the air in Waipukarau is being dealt with.
The Central Hawke's Bay District Council has reassured residents it was continuing to take odour complaints very seriously and taking all reasonable steps to resolve the odour issue.
After receiving complaints since January this year from residents living near the Waipukurau wastewater treatment plant and rubbish dump, the CHB District Council last weekend set up an online survey in further efforts to try to identify the source of the stench.
To date, the council had received 156 responses to the survey request regarding the odour issue and have mapped where odours have been detected.
These surveys had provided council with "valuable information and a better understanding of the situation".
Initial findings from the surveys revealed odours had been detected as far as Coughlan Road, Lakeview Road, Redwood Drive, Mangatarata Road and Ford Road in Waipukurau.
They also indicated there was more than one source of odour, and that mostly, odours were being detected in fine and still weather conditions and vary from noticeable to very offensive.
One of the sources of the odour is the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Waipukurau. Actions had been taken to address this including CCTV on Mt Herbert Road to see what was happening within the pipes and whether something was contributing to the odour issue.
The outlet structure of the anaerobic pond was now covered, and a sleeve had been placed on the pipe outlet from the anaerobic pond.
The liquid (partially treated wastewater) which previously cascaded from the anaerobic pond was now being fed through the sleeve and directed under water into the storm water balance pond.
A Monitoring Trailer had been placed on site at the Waipukurau Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Over the next four weeks the council also intended to undertake investigations in some pipes and surrounding areas where odours have been detected beyond the immediate vicinity of the Treatment Plant.
They would also sample liquid from various parts of the Treatment Plant to help with identifying possible odour sources, investigate outcomes of the CCTV footage, and look at dosing solutions to target hydrogen sulphur.
More actions were proposed beyond four weeks.
The council warned the actions undertaken would not be an overnight fix.
"From the time wastewater enters the treatment process, it takes 21 to 28 days for it to go through the processing system all the way through to the filters and UV system and then discharged."
"Council appreciates that this is an extremely frustrating time for many residents and thanks residents for their on-going patience and understanding."
The council was asking residents to continue reporting any noticeable or offensive odours by using the online survey form at www.chbdc.govt.nz.
- Printed forms are also available at the council office in Waipawa and both libraries.