Odour likely as wastewater treatment plant is upgraded

Residents may notice some odour from the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant during the next four months as one of the main trickling filters, integral to the treatment process, was shut down yesterday for a planned upgrade.

City Water and Waste Unit Manager Mark Christison says the filter was shut down as part of a four-month operation to install new distributing arms in the 52m diameter tank. The new arms provide increased capacity to further improve the quality of the city’s wastewater.

“With one of the trickling filters out of commission, there is a risk of some odour as the biomass on the filter media dies off,” Mr Christison says. Treatment Plant staff will flush out the filter media regularly each day to minimise odours, he says. Over the next four months, there may be some intermittent odour as upgrade work progresses because, once the first filter upgrade is completed and returned to service, the second filter will be shut down to install similar equipment. The work had to be done in summer due to traditionally lower flows at the treatment plant at this time of year, Mr Christison says.

“It is part of planned work by the Council to improve the quality of final effluent discharged from the treatment plant and is integral to improving the Estuary and coastal environment,” said Mr Christison.

Further information: Mark Christison, City Water and Waste Unit manager, phone 941 623

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