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Foul odor from sewage treatment plant to last months
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is advising the public that sewage odor emanating from the Sadog Tasi Treatment Plant will be smelled in the Sadog Tasi, Puerto Rico, Lower Base, Lower Navy Hill and Garapan areas.
In an advisory yesterday, CUC said the foul smell is expected to continue intermittently throughout February, March and April 2020.
CUC advised that it is also planning on a series of rehabilitative improvements to the treatment process over the next year that will be critical for the long-term viability of the plant to handle the large amount of new development on the island.
“The outcome of those improvements will be an odor free treatment facility,” it said.
At present, the cause of the sewer odor is due to the reactivation of the aerators in basin I at the Sadog Tasi Treatment Plant and the startup of the digester aerator unit following a draw down or decanting of excess effluent. The temporary clarifier currently running needs to allow additional sludge to build a sludge layer on the bottom of the basin to properly capture and draw the waste sludge from the unit. This process may take up to three months or more, depending on the timing of the treatment process changes. As a result, there will be reduced odors and improved effluent quality once it goes operational.
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The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. would like to inform the public that there is still currently a sewage odor in the areas of San Antonio and Koblerville and is expected to continue until further notice.
The cause of the sewer odor is due to a mechanical failure of its aerators at the Agingan Wastewater Treatment Plant. Parts have been expected to arrive on island for the past few months but there has been a delay due to unexpected delivery issues with the vendor. Once the parts arrive, wastewater operators will then make the repairs. As a result, the sewage odor will improve. The units are at the end of their useful lives and new units are being ordered as part of a major upgrade.
CUC appreciates the public’s patience throughout this sewage process and will continue to work diligently to minimize any inconvenience to its customers.
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CUC said it is also working on lessening the odor around the treatment plant to prevent scattering the odor to neighboring areas. “We will be looking at alternatives for masking the smell of the treatment process, which is not hazardous to you, just unpleasant to smell,” the advisory states.
For more information, contact the CUC Customer Call Center (664-4282) or monitor CUC’s Facebook page for the latest updates (htts://www.facebook.com/CommonwealthUtilitiesCorporation). (PR)
