'Stop pooing' message clarified by mayor as town overcome by sewage stench

26 December 2023 , 22:04

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A local council near Wellington is struggling with difficult odours from a nearby sewage plant that left locals reeling and gagging - and unable to open their windows

A New Zealand mayor has said residents don't need to "stop pooing" and that the remarks made by a council official were "in jest."

A local council near Wellington is struggling with difficult odours from a nearby sewage plant that left locals reeling and gagging - and unable to open their windows. During a meeting of the local Hutt city council last month, mayor Campbell Barry asked if something could be done to reduce the smell ahead of a music festival, Juicy Fest, in early January.

In response, a council official said the residents could "stop pooing" - a statement the local mayor was forced to clarify and confirm that it was not advised. On Tuesday, Wellington Water, which manages the Seaview wastewater treatment plant, said it was continuing to address the odour management issue that has plagued Lower Hutt – a city in the Wellington region – in recent months.

The water company said in a statement: "We acknowledge the odour levels have been unpleasant, inconvenient, and distressful for the community." Wellington Water and the company it contracted to manage the plant, Veolia New Zealand, have received $22,750 (£11,310) in fines for discharging offensive and objectionable odour beyond the boundary of the plant and local councils have also been fined thousands.

Works are now underway to replace the plant’s biofilters, with deodorising chemical dispersing machines to improve the air in the interim. According to Wellington Water, initial works are due to be completed towards the end of January, with $13 million (£6,465,771) being invested into long term improvements over the next three years.

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A beautiful area... plagued by the smell of poo (Getty Images)

The Guardian reported that residents have reportedly been told to expect the smell to get worse. In response to the stench, angry locals have formed a group called "Stop the Stench" to urge leaders to act .Members of Stop the Stench’s Facebook group spoke of relocating their Christmas celebrations to homes outside Lower Hutt.

One member wrote: "Decided today that can’t take the risk of it stinking like this. It’s bad enough that we have to put up with it, don’t want guests gagging on their food on Xmas day."

Other locals have complained the odour has caused children to have trouble concentrating at school. Meanwhile, one local business owner reportedly said staff aren’t eating lunch as a result.

Zesha Saleem