Local

Waxhaw sewage treatment plant construction leaves foul odor

By Mark Barber
By Mark Barber

WAXHAW — Residents in Waxhaw are concerned about a strong order in the area as a nearby wastewater treatment plant starts to expand.

"It's pretty gross, really pretty odiferous,” resident Scott Brigham.

Residents like Brigham have seen how badly a reeking stench can wreck nearby neighborhoods.

"We kind of joked that this was the Hotel California,” Brigham said. “You moved in but you could never move out, because you couldn't sell your house, because of the bad publicity from all the odors."

A foul odor succumbed the area 10 years ago, too.

Since then, the nearby sewage plant installed odor controls to clear the air.

The city manager said it's time for another update.

"Apparently, they currently have an antiquated odor control system," city manager Warren Wood.

A strong odor has been permeating parts of the city the past five days, sparking a flurry of conversations and concerns.

"It could be something that was disturbed in terms of the construction that they've got going on," Wood said.

As the 12-Mile Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant expands to accommodate the county's rapid growth, they are also planning to update their air controls.

"It's an odor scrubbing system and it will be a self-contained system at the plant, where all the odors will be managed at the site," Wood said.

The growing pains are often most painful for neighbors like Brigham.

"That definitely is a concern that we could go back to those days where we kind of have the scarlet letter on us, and no one wants to move in," Wood said.

The expansion of the sewage plant is expected to wrap up in 2019 and it's still unclear when the new odor controls will be installed.

The expansion of the plant will cost more than $36 million and it is the largest capital improvement project in Union County in two decades.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

Cox Media Group

Most Read