Published on:
21
January 2011
Environmental Health Officers from Clackmannanshire Council are actively monitoring the air in Alloa following improvements works carried out to Scottish Water's waste water treatment works in the town.
Since 2005 the Council has received a five complaints from local residents about an unpleasant odour relating to waste being discharged into the Forth at the Brothie Burn.
Last year Scottish Water completed a £2.5 million investment project to suppress odour at the Alloa plant.
Two organisations discharge waste at the Brothie Burn: Alloa Wastewater Treatment Works and Kerry Bioscience, the yeast factory located in Menstrie, which pipes effluent to the Brothie Burn at Alloa.
Both organisations comply with consents to discharge waste into the river system issued by the SEPA. These consents relate to chemical and bacterial quality of the effluent and not odour.
The Council has investigated every complaint received and continues to monitor and assess the situation.
If the Council wished to take enforcement action we would have to prove who is responsible for the odour.
Last year Scottish Water concluded phase 1 of their 'odour improvement plan' which has seen £2.5 million spent on odour suppression work at their Alloa plant. Scottish Water asked for six months to ascertain if their efforts so far are sufficient to control the odour. This period ends on 31st March 2011.
The Council has a duty to enforce the relevant legislation in regards to Alloa WWTW. Monitoring by Environmental Health Officers will continue beyond 31st March and further action will be taken if it is necessary. That will include investigating and dealing with complaints of odour within the six month period if they are significant in terms of strength or prolonged time. If it is shown that the actions carried out by Scottish Water have not been effective and Scottish Water fail to implement further measures to reduce odour, a notice will be served by the Council.