Bad smells from Christchurch's fire-ravaged wastewater plant to continue for years

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

Bad smells reminiscent of the 1970s and 80s will continue seeping out of Christchurch’s fire-damaged wastewater treatment plant for years to come, the city council says.

Fire destroyed two trickling filters at the Bromley wastewater plant on November 1.

It was the biggest fire in the city in recent times and led to residents being evacuated and a public health warning issued as thick, black smoke spread across the city.

The filters, which measured 8 metres high and 55m across, played a crucial role in the wastewater process and unpleasant smells have been wafting across parts of the city since the fire.

Christchurch City Council water boss Helen Beaumont told councillors on Wednesday the plant would not get back to a pre-fire level of smell until the trickling filters were replaced or an alternative process brought in, which would be several years away.