Fence decision saves up to $5000 a day

SPRAY AWAY: The atomiser fence around Wanganui's wastewater plant has been switched off.

The odour fence surrounding Wanganui's blighted wastewater treatment plant has been switched off, saving the ratepayers up to $5000 a day.

The decision was made by Wanganui District Council management on Tuesday.

It also means a notice of motion intended for next Monday's full council meeting has been avoided.

The fence was installed around the perimeter of the Airport Rd facility in January last year in a bid to stifle the stench from the ailing ponds.

Atomisers placed every two metres around the fence sent out fine deodoriser spray but came with a price - between $3000 and $5000 each day, which meant a total of $670,000 has been spent operating and installing it.

Councillor Rob Vinsen, a long-time critic of the fence, welcomed news it had been turned off.

"It seemed a good idea at the time of installation 14 months ago but in June last year I became concerned," Mr Vinsen said. "Considering what it was costing, the fence was largely ineffective in mitigating the foul odours. We still got horrific smells anyway."

He argued to have the fence mothballed for a trial period but lost out, with council engineers saying it was effective.

His questioning of council infrastructure manager Mark Hughes at a recent committee meeting prompted Councillor Ray Stevens to launch a notice of motion to censure Mr Vinsen. That procedure is still active.

But on the odour fence issue, Mr Vinsen found an ally in Councillor Charlie Anderson, who said the fence was "simply wasting money". Mr Anderson is chief executive officer of Wanganui Air and his offices are at the city's airport, a few hundred metres from the plant.

"I was particularly frustrated on the days that the wind was seaward to see $3000 to $5000 simply wafting out to sea," he said.

"I suggested an inexpensive valve be installed to switch the fence off on these days, but it wasn't acted on."

Mr Vinsen said council managers intended the fence to operate until the sludge removal operation was complete, "at least another month and another $100,000 away".

He said he had been advised on Tuesday by chief executive Kevin Ross of management's decision to turn the fence off "and I'm pleased about that".

"There is little odour coming from the plant now that the waste has been diverted to sea."

Last Monday, Mr Vinsen and Mr Anderson lodged a notice of motion to go on next Monday's council agenda to turn the fence off because of the high cost of operating it and because the number of bad smells had dropped considerably.