31 May 2000

While the Christchurch wastewater treatment plant is upgraded some odours will be given off.

The odour might be noticeable in some eastern areas because of work on the treatment plant $33 million upgrade in Pages Road.

The Council’s wastewater manager, Mike Bourke, says recently and over the next few months the work will be going through "tricky stages."

It will be necessary to have some major parts of the treatment processes out of service while the connection of new processes and new structures are made, he says.

"Some of these connections have to be made in dry weather when flows are lower rather than when it is raining when flows are higher," he says.

Since November the plant has been converted to aeration tanks. This has reduced tank capacity and this puts an increased load on the oxidation ponds and this can give rise to odours from the ponds.

When the upgrade is finished the plant will have greatly increased capacity, much more flexible operation, and a much-reduced load going to the oxidation ponds.

"The possibility of odours is regretted but we are doing as much as we can to keep them to a minimum over this short period," Mr Bourke says.

"Once the upgrade is completed the treatment plant will have the capacity to serve the residents of Christchurch so much better," he says.

NB: Photos of the upgrading work in progress can be arranged with the Wastewater manager, Mike Bourke (941 8364).