At long last, stench is set to fade away

Published on Thursday 30 July 2009 09:57

THE notorious Seafield stench will be "significantly reduced" within weeks, city leaders have pledged.

The sewage smell, which has invaded the nostrils of Leithers for up to 50 years, will be curbed by a number of short-term measures put into place as Scottish Water and the city council put a 20 million "odour abatement plan" at the plant into action.

At a meeting held at city chambers yesterday, Justice Secretary and local MSP Kenny MacAskill, and environment leader Robert Aldridge compared notes and said that the project was on course.

Cllr Aldridge said: "It's true that the smell was a lot worse this summer due to the heat, with particular problems in June, but Scottish Water are putting measures in place to make sure that doesn't happen again. The odour improvement plan will ensure some major improvements are made, and we expect to see a significant difference to the smell by the end of September.

"The works to tackle the smell are on schedule."

Mr MacAskill said: "The council are taking all the action they can and recognise their responsibility as guardian for local residents.

"Although there is still a considerable distance to travel in regards to the waste, Scottish Water and the council are working together productively. Everyone is playing their part."

It is expected that a 20m plan to reduce the stench of waste by 70 per cent, through building a new odour control unit and installing covers over certain areas, will be complete by March 2011.

For local resident and Leith Links spokesman Rob Kirkwood, the latest short-term measures to combat the constant smell were not enough.

He said: "The stench this summer was terrible and we've been suffering this for years. Reducing the odour by 70 per cent is not good enough; we want total elimination.

"The plan doesn't address two key problems. Maintenance is an issue because the 12 tanks at Seafield that need to be drained every year mean sewage will be exposed to the air. Officials say they will empty the tanks when air is not blowing towards the community, but the wind can easily change so it's like playing Russian roulette with the sewage."

He added: "To talk in terms of reduction instead of elimination when the equipment to get fully rid of the smell exists suggests Leithers are not very considered. A reduced smell is not a huge message of hope for us."