West Virginia Town Reaches Out To Ratepayers To Explain Odor Issue

Odor issues can hinder public opinion of wastewater services — even if the issue has zero impact on the actual quality of the wastewater remediation.

To overcome unfavorable public opinion when dealing with an odor challenge, communication is key. A wastewater plant in Paden City, WV, recently reached out to its ratepayers in an effort to dispel concerns about a sewage smell reported in the community, according to the Tyler Star News.

Elizabeth Fletcher, the chief wastewater operator for Paden City, released a public statement April 26 asking ratepayers for patience as the city works to reduce a strong odor that is coming from the wastewater treatment plant, reported the Tyler Star News. In the statement, Fletcher explained how the wastewater treatment process works, and what elements can impact smell.

“As simple as this process may sound it is not cheap to do. It is a science and takes many expensive chemicals, pumps, blowers and other specially designed equipment to complete,” said Fletcher in an article for the Tyler Star News. “In normal circumstances the plant never stops working. It is a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year operation. What does change is the chemistry of the water on a day to day basis. This is caused not only by what is in the water we receive but also by the weather.”

The odor is a result of updates made last year. The plant was emptied in November 2015 to clean the tanks and make infrastructure repairs. Although the plant has returned to operation, there is not enough microorganism build-up. This is causing the organic material in the tanks to decay. The smell of the decaying organic material, when carried by the wind and distributed throughout town, is responsible for the odor reported by ratepayers. More solids are needed for the water to be properly stabilized, said Fletcher in her statement.

“A very large percent of the wastewater received is water causing it to take so much time to get the buildup of solids needed,” she said, according to the Tyler Star News. “Without enough solids as food for the microbiology (BUGS) they begin to die off allowing the organic material to decay.”

The timeline for the wastewater to stabilize and the odor to dissipate is unknown, and depends on flow, wastewater content, and weather, she said. 

Numerous mechanical systems that are worn and outdated may also be contributing to the odor. Steps are being taken to correct this problem.