Editor: I work off Telegraph Trail and 96 Avenue in Langley. Over the last week or so, while driving over the Golden Ears Bridge to work each morning, the smell has been completely horrible when reaching the south end of the bridge.
When I get to the office, it smells outside, it smells inside the office, and creates a terrible work environment, causing anger and annoyances.
The smell is very foul, and is related to the sewage treatment facility. When looking on the Metro Vancouver website, on the Frequently Asked Questions section, this is what is says about smell: “Will it smell? How will you control odour?”
A — “Odour control will be a priority in the design and operation of the plant. All air associated with the plant will be managed and treated using odour control and air treatment technology. This technology has been proven in plants sited in urban centres.”
Q — “How will you measure for odour impacts?”
A — “The plant will be designed so air is put through scrubbing systems before it is discharged into the atmosphere. Modern approaches require odour control systems that ensure virtual elimination of odour complaints when plants are located in urban areas.”
This is simply not true. I know, firsthand, that it is unbearable, causes headaches and makes going to work each day unpleasant. Thankfully, I do not live in the area — but I can only imagine the poor people who do and how they must feel.
This is also something that has happened in the past, and usually only lasts about a day or so. I have found an article in The Times (“Something stinks in Walnut Grove,” Dec. 10) that mentions it.
This makes me believe that something is wrong at the plant, as we should not be able to smell it.
Another concern is the smell, and how it is associated with people. Visitors come to my office and think that we have a gas leak. We explain to them what the actual cause is (sewage treatment in the area), but in all honesty, we wouldn’t know if we had a gas leak in the office.
The smell is close to the same.
Do we call Fortis each time we smell the sewage plant? To me, this is very dangerous and could pose a huge issue should an actual gas leak occur. Would we even notice? Is my health and life at risk because of the odour leaking from this sewage plant?
Nathan Pedneault,
Coquitlam
