An awful stench that has long plagued residents in a Lower Hutt suburb is likely to return this weekend.
By Lauren Crimp of RNZ
Wellington Water has told Seaview locals it was carrying out some work at the wastewater treatment plant.
The facility has been notorious for causing a putrid smell likened to faeces and rotting eggs, making some locals dry retch and shut themselves indoors.
Wellington Water said on social media it was repairing a part in one of its sedimentation tanks on Monday January 12, with preparations beginning this Friday.
"This work needs to happen quickly to keep the treatment process working effectively. If it isn't repaired, solids can build up, which would be bad for the plant's process," it said.
The company said there was an "increased risk of odour" from Friday to Monday, but the work would be fully enclosed to try and stop the smell escaping, and it would use deodorisers to mask the stench.
The work involved repairs to a scraper inside a sedimentation tank, Wellington Water said.
"Heavier particles settle at the bottom, where the scrapers literally scrape it out for sludge treatment. Scrapers also remove floating scum from the surface.
"This process is essential to prevent sludge from building up, decomposing or overflowing, which can cause odour and negatively affect the plant's biological treatment process."
At the root of ongoing problems with the smelly plant was its sludge dryer, which removed water from the solid material left over in treated sewage before it was disposed.
The dryer was near the end of its working life and needed constant maintenance before it was to be replaced by the end of 2027.
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