City of Cranbrook council learned May 10 that complaints are up around municipal wastewater lagoons odours this spring and a solution is in the works.

“It is not uncommon this time of year for municipal wastewater lagoons to experience problems with unpleasant odours,” stated Mike Matejka, city Infrastructure Planning & Delivery Division manager in an administration update to council.

“Odours can be a general nuisance with lagoons and can occasionally result in complaints. This spring seems to be unique as a larger than usual number of complaints of experiencing odour problems have been reported.

“The initial reaction is to conclude that these lagoons are experiencing odour problems due to turnovers caused by the winter that we just had, which is one of the factors the city is experiencing this year.

“The other significant factor is the volume of sludge that has accumulated in the cells of the lagoons. The sludge displaces the wastewater so there is less detention within the cells, and this will cause less contact time with the aeration treatment process,” Matejka reported.

“As part of the multi-year Lagoon and Influent Trunk Line project, the city will be issuing a tender for the removal of the sludge, in Cell #1, intended to be completed in the summer of 2021. This de-sludging will greatly increase the detention time of the lagoon cell and we anticipate that the odour will be greatly reduced from these works.”

Matejka pointed out the onset of consistent warmer weather could also improve the situation until that time.

“As the remainder of the project proceeds over the next several years, further improvements and upgrades will also greatly increase the detention time and treatment process for the foreseeable future. The city is also implementing a more proactive multiyear sludge management program, to ensure that the volume of sludge is at an optimum volume for the treatment process and associated odour issues,” he concluded.

e-KNOW file photo

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