Stink relief for Allegan may arrive this week

The stink around Allegan’s Waste Water Treatment Plant at the end of North Street may soon smell like fresh linen.

On June 25, Allegan City Council approved a $37,411 annual plan for State Industrial Products of Mayfield Ohio to provide an equipment package for high pressure Fresh Zone to be sprayed around the plant with high pressure misters.

Doug Sweeris said on Tuesday, July 10, the equipment had been delivered; however the plant is anticipating the installers to arrive this week. Installation would then take one to two days.

“Hopefully it will take care of the majority of the issues,” he said.

At issue is the smell, which Joan Simmons described as a fertilized farm field.

Simmons brought the issue to the city council on Monday, July 9. While Simmons lives close to the plant on River Street, council member Traci Perrigo said she could smell the WWTP from the top of water tower hill and city manager Joel Dye confirmed he could smell it on Cutler Street.

The misting sprayers release the fresh linen scent higher in the air than the previous low pressure misters; however, only one-third of the project was approved—bringing the cost down from $132,072 to $37,411 annually.

 “We started small but can add on,” Sweeris said.

Virginia Ransbottom can be contacted at vransbottom@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.