TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Twin Falls is taking steps to address sewer odors that have been permeating neighborhoods, with city crews installing permanent odor scrubbers and asking residents to speak up when they notice foul smells by using the Report An Odor form found on the city's homepage- (it's the one with an icon of a nose).
Nathan Erikson has been working to replace carbon pellets in one of three odor scrubbers the city uses to neutralize sewer odors. The odors are mostly caused by hydrogen sulfide gas in the Grandview Trunk Line on the west side of town.
"There is no mission accomplished here as far as odors in the city we will continue to address them as they come in," Erikson said.
"We don't want anybody you don't feel like, you know, they can't go outside because it stinks," Erikson said.
On Monday night, Erikson gave the City Council an update on the plan to address sewer odors. The current solution calls for placing 2 permanent odor scrubbers — one south of downtown and one to the north, closer to the canyon rim.
"And the locations that we're using it's because we have a positive pressure that's pushing here out of the sewer // in these two locations yeah this is the best resolution to address the problem," Erikson said.
A mobile air scrubber has been moved to different locations in search of the best way to reduce noxious odors. A permanent location is now being prepared at Federation and Grandview.
Since the odor scrubbers were introduced, Erikson says the city has seen a big drop in odors reported through the city's website. He says those reports are vital to identifying places where odors are entering neighborhoods.
"If there's an issue, you need to let us know like they need to speak up," Erikson said.
The city also continues to work with industrial users to find voluntary changes that could reduce sewer odors.
"We continually work with our industries to look for ways to improve and give them opportunity to improve what they're sending to the city through sewer, and there they are continuing to make progress there," Erikson said.
The permanent odor scrubber at Grandview and Federation should be in operation by the end of July.
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