by Harmony Fisher
Some Ely residents have complained of a sewer smell near Miners Drive, down the road from the Ely Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Treatment plant operators have responded by ordering an industrial deodorizer to mitigate the smell, which they began adding to the wastewater in the middle of the week of Aug. 17-23.
Solids have accumulated at the plant due to low liquid flow volumes caused by hot and dry summer conditions.
Water operator Wayne Bach said the problem arises annually in July and August. This year’s drought has led to increased challenges for the plant.
The United States Drought Monitor currently places Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region in the severe drought category.
“There’s not much rain, so you have lower flows because of the drought, so the waste coming in is extra strength,” Bach said.
Bach said the load on the treatment plant may have been especially high this year due to an increased number of portable toilets emptied into Ely’s wastewater system. These mobile toilets have been set up in firefighting camps around the area.
“We have no way to really gauge that because you can’t control what comes to the plant,” Bach said. “If someone flushes it, you could get a matchbox. You could get anything through the drain pipe.”
Bach said two people informed the plant of the odor.
“Even ourselves, we said, boy, something’s not smelling right here. So (the mitigation effort) was already initiated and then the calls started,” Bach said. “We were already in the process of trying to get ahead of it.”
Employees have noticed improved odor conditions at the plant. Another local resident provided feedback that the deodorizer has neutralized the scent.
Employees add the chemical twice daily, which is specifically designed for wastewater. It does not harm bacteria in the water, which are essential for removing phosphorus and nitrogen.
“Like I said, we have no control over what comes into the plant,” Bach said. “We just do what we can to get (the scent) knocked back.”
