Yorkshire Water facing censure over smells from sewage works

Members of an environment scrutiny committee at East Riding Council are being urged to declare a “lack of confidence” in Yorkshire Water following a record number of complaints from residents about the facility at Saltend.

Residents in the Hedon area have complained for more than a decade about odours emanating from the site, which intensify in summer and can even be detected drifting along the River Humber into Hull five miles away.

More than 180 complaints - a record - were made to both the company and the council in July, and a petition calling for action to be taken was presented to councillors last month.

A critical report going before the committee on Wednesday says evidence from residents, such as diaries and personal records of the smells, may be used to trigger a more formal sanction if the problems continue, although that threshold had yet to be crossed.

The report, by Nigel Leighton, the council’s director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services, said the odours were a “significant cause for concern”, and continued: “Because of Yorkshire Water’s historic and recent failures of effective controls in managing odours released from their Hull Waste Water Treatment Works, it is possible that future events may constitute a ‘statutory nuisance’, particularly in areas closer to the site where offensive odours are stronger and more frequent in nature.

“The council would require the full assistance of the local community to evidence nuisance and the adverse impact caused to people’s enjoyment of land or property.”

It adds: “Should evidence be found or provided by residents...the position with regard to nuisances will be closely reviewed, and where appropriate, promptly acted upon applying the relevant powers to hold Yorkshire Water to account for the release of offensive odours from their site, which is adversely affecting the local community.”

However, the report also notes the levels of odours are expected to be “significantly reduced” by the introduction of a new odour control unit being installed at the plant. The £3.5m unit, which will be twice the size of the current system, is expected to be in operation in December.

The plant is one of the biggest of its kind in Europe and treats 40 million gallons of waste water every day, including a complex mix of trade effluent, before discharging the water into the Humber.

Residents were told it would be “odour free” when it opened in 2002, but the company has accepted there is a problem apologised for the “deeply unpleasant” smells in August, also holding a public meeting to explain what action it was taking to resolve it.

East Riding councillors John Dennis and Mike Bryan referred to an “obnoxious stink” when launching an online petition that month, while Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart called the smell “outrageous”.

Complaints invariably peak during the pea season, between late June and August, when peas are harvested, frozen and processed by local companies.

A spokesman for Yorkshire Water said: “We know that any incident of odour is not pleasant which is why we are doing all we can to manage the odours on site.

“As part of Yorkshire Water’s commitment to improve processes at Saltend Waste Water Treatment Works, we are investing over £3.5m on a scheme which is well underway to install an additional odour control unit. The new unit will be in place from December 2011 and we’re confident this will significantly help to reduce any odours from the site.”

He added: “We continue to work closely with the council’s environmental health team and act upon any recommendations they may have.”