Odour Possible due to Treatment Plant Upgrade

29 November 2007

Upgrade work underway at the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant has the potential to cause temporary odour problems.

Any odour would be the result of the removal of the temporary wall constructed as part of the main pumping station upgrade. This upgrade is now nearing completion and the removal of the temporary wall in the channel is necessary to enable the upgraded pumping station to operate.

Removing the temporary wall involves shutting down both trickling filters, as well as the removal of 50 years of grit build up from the channel.

The Council’s Operations and Maintenance Manager, Mike Bourke, says that a variety of measures have been put in place to prevent a repeat of the  severe odour problems that occurred in May when both trickling filters were taken out of service for installation of the wall.

“To minimise any odour issues we are using chemicals to improve primary treatment, irrigating the biomass in the filters to keep it moist, joint sealing the domed covers and using additional aeration in the ponds. 

“While these measures have already proved successful in mitigating odour problems during the upgrade, the short term loss of full secondary treatment capacity has the potential to cause some odour from the middle of next week.

“If an odour event does occur it could last about two weeks,”  Mr Bourke says.

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