The Town of Osoyoos is apologizing for its foul odour.
The town has been struggling with a stench coming from the sewage treatment plant in recent weeks.
Town council apologized for the odour and asked for patience as they try to resolve the issue.
“We take these odour issues seriously, and understand the frustration that residents feel as this issue remains unresolved and seems to recur each year,” stated a release from the town.
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The odour becomes noticeably worse during periods of hot weather and when the town experiences its seasonal peak visitation in the summer months. The town’s sewage system receives inflows in the summer that is far greater than the amount usually received in other months.
To fix the odour problem, the town has budgeted $5 million for system improvements in its financial plan designed to improve the treatment and disposal of wastewater and address odour concerns including the recently completed main wastewater pumping station.
The new pumping station includes screening capacity designed to remove solids and other discarded materials often found in wastewater before pumping effluent to the sewage lagoons for treatment. This will reduce the accumulation of sludge in the lagoons and improve bacteriological processes that treat wastewater.
Work was recently completed to improve aeration to the treatment plant, hoping it would improve dissolved oxygen levels in the ponds, as oxygen is key in the support of the biological processes. The town has also budgeted for an operational assessment of the lagoons in 2020 to review and improve operational processes as well as potential capital improvements to access the treatment process.
The offensive odours do not present a health risk to the public.
READ MORE: E. coli bacteria detected in Osoyoos water system
jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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