ECan will sniff out odours in Washdyke

A pilot programme designed to track down the source of unpleasant odours near Washdyke will be launched next month.

It comes after Environment Canterbury revealed it had received 146 odour complaints related to 77 pollution events since January 2020 in the Washdyke area.

It had conducted 43 site visits, and issued four infringement notices and one written warning.

ECan southern zone delivery lead Brian Reeves said odour was a serious concern for many residents in the Washdyke and northern Timaru areas.

‘‘This pilot – and particularly the different data streams – will enable us to bring together odour reports, the physical impact on residents, and the likely location at the same time. We hope this will give us a compelling picture of the situation, in a way we have not been able to before,’’ Reeves said.

The pilot programme will include people logging into a special app or calling ECan’s hotline about any unpleasant odour emanating from the Washdyke area.

At the same time, ECan will be working with businesses in the area to get more information on their operations and timing of certain activities, gathering weather data and monitoring wind patterns; and employing an independent odour assessor to spend time in the area.

‘‘We are excited to work with both the community and local businesses on this pilot, all of whom have a collective desire to improve the situation for everyone involved, and particularly affected residents,’’ Reeves said. ‘‘The businesses we have spoken to are on board and cooperating fully.’’

Reeves told The Timaru Herald the new app would be more specific in terms of being able to locate the unpleasant odours. ‘‘In the past, there has been a lot of emotion and rhetoric about unpleasant smells; this is about having a proper conversation with residents and businesses about what to do next,’’ he said. ‘‘We are going to be much more specific and it helps that many

‘‘In the past, there has been a lot of emotion and rhetoric about unpleasant smells; this is about having a proper conversation with residents and businesses about what to do next.’’ Brian Reeves, ECan southern zone delivery lead, pictured

businesses have bent over backwards to accommodate us in the early stages. They are not ducking for cover at all.’’

Reeves said it was inevitable there would be unpleasant odours coming from Washdyke due to the high level of industrial activity.

He said there would be five ECan staff working on the pilot programme over February, as well as the independent assessor.

‘‘Rather than us being punitive, it is about having a sitdown with those affected and seeing what we can do to improve the situation.’’

Washdyke is not the only area where ECan is grappling with unpleasant odours.

Late last year, ECan confirmed it was working with the Christchurch City Council on a $17.6 million plan to remove the source of pungent odours that residents in the suburb of Bromley complained were causing serious problems to their health.