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Is this the solution to our stinky streets?
By
nic Brunetti nbrunetti@london.newsquest.co.uk
THAMES
Water has announced £2.5miilion
plans to improve Little Marlow
sewage works and stop bad smells
escalating in the village,
The latest
announcement came at Little Marlow Parish
Council's meeting on Tuesday, with
work expected to start early next
year for six months.
Plant bosses say it should end in the summer
but that work
had already begun "in earnest".
The announcement was strongly welcomed
by councillors.
Mr
Clive Innocent, who sits on the sewage works liaison committee,
said: "It makes it look like they
are taking it quite seriously."
Cllr
Terry Juby, vice-chairman, added: "We welcome the fact that although the problem still
exists they are taking farther steps to try and eliminate it."
Improvements to the engineering works will
include enhancing site odour control.
Previous complaints from residents centred on the site's compost building
and this will be addressed.
Thames Water has said it will reduce levels
of ammonia in the building so workers wrill
be able to tolerate a less stronger smell
and doors won't have to be opened tinder
Health and Safety regulations.
A survey by the company revealed that
the compost building accounts for 72 per
cent of the odour escape from the entire
plant.
A
Thames Water spokesman said: "The money will also go towards the
improvement of sludge and other improvements
around the site
"Indirectly,
this will help to treat the odour in a
better fashion."Other improvements in the compost building include
new fans to increase airflow by 40 per
cent, new bays for the
roof
and a sprinkler to dampen dried compost.
However,
William Northcroft, of Little Marlow
Residents' Association, urged caution.
He
said: "We have to be hopeful. We have
persevered and stood by them for a long time without making undue fuss."
Sewage works still kicking up a stink...If
you are troubled by odours, ring 0845 9200800
Bad smell day?
THE open day at the Little Marlow Sewage Works was deemed to have been successful, the parish council has said. The works, owned by Thames Water, was opened to improve community relations following escaped bad smells in the area. However, the council reported that Tuesday had been
blighted by another bad smell escaping.
THAMES Water has agreed to Little Marlow Parish Council's demands that it should spend more money to rid the village of the stench from a sewage works.
Dallas Banfield, chairman, of Little Marlow Parish Council, said at a council meeting on Tuesday that he appreciated Thames Water were trying to tackle the problem, but he warned the smells would not go away unless the company addressed some fundamental design issues at the plant and spent some more money
He told the Free Press: "The problem is they haven't spent enough money. They are very nice people and they are doing what they can but it clearly isn't working."
In July, Thames Water spent £110,000 on alterations to their bio filters designed to extract the smell, but a month later villagers say the
smells are still causing a problem.
Mr Banfield said: "Some days are worse than others, but most weeks you can tell there is something in the air. It is most off-putting in the summer when you are out in the garden or having a barbecue. I have had people tell me that you can actually taste the smell when you are eating."
A spokesman for Thames Water told the Free Press on yesterday they had now identified the composting processors as the source of the odours and planned to spend another £95,000 to banish the smells entirely
He said: "We are now investing in an additional mobile composting facility and we are confident the problem will be rectified by the end of the month."
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