A potential sequel to the infamous 'Seaview Stench' has residents of Lower Hutt on edge. This time, an operational error at the Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant has sparked concerns about an unpleasant odor. The mistake, made by Wellington Water's contractor Veolia, has been rectified, but the community is bracing for a strong possibility of increased odor, according to Wellington Water's CEO, Pat Dougherty.
Dougherty explained that the biological process treating wastewater has become unbalanced, leading to higher levels of odor. To mitigate the risk, workers will begin removing wet sludge from the plant as soon as possible. This action aims to stabilize the biological process, but residents should expect increased odor from both the sludge removal process and the plant itself.
Wellington Water is closely monitoring the situation and ensuring Veolia takes all necessary actions to minimize the impact on the community. Dougherty expressed deep regret for any inconvenience caused and apologized wholeheartedly.
"This is simply unacceptable, especially as we experienced similar issues last year around the same time. We're devastated that it's happening again at the start of summer," Dougherty said.
The company is holding Veolia accountable and is committed to preventing such incidents in the future. Dougherty added, "We're focused on reducing the odor's impact and duration, but we're also dedicated to ensuring this doesn't recur. We've asked Veolia to provide a robust plan to give our community confidence moving forward."
As the situation unfolds, Wellington Water will keep the community informed and provide further updates on the extent of the impact and the expected timeframe for the odor to dissipate.
