Tag Archives: Smells

Council to issue strongest ever warning to Yorkshire Water over offensive odours!

Posted on November 2, 2011 by | 1 Comment

“Thanks to all those who signed the petition and campaigned against the smells! Your efforts have now been rewarded” – Hedon Blog

A REPORT will go before East Riding Council’s environment and regeneration overview and scrutiny committee this morning which will express the council’s “lack of confidence” in Yorkshire Water for failing to manage and control the release of offensive odours from the Saltend Waste Water Treatment Works.

The report states that the odours from the Treatment Works have been “unacceptable this year” resulting in the highest level of recorded complaints. And while the odours are expected to be significantly reduced by the completion of the new odour control unit, the council will monitor the situation and, when needed, will respond making full use of the powers it has at its disposal to protect the public.

This is expected to be the strongest ever statement from the council on this matter and a press release is expected to be released later today that will express the council’s tough position on this matter.

The report discussed today has been produced in direct response to the 2,405 strong petition that was presented to the same council committee on 21st September  2011.

The Hedon Blog would like to thank all those residents that signed the petition, whether on paper or online, and to all those who took part in the campaign to rid our communities of these offensive odours! Your efforts have now been rewarded with the strongest possible expression of support from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council – and the strongest ever warning to Yorkshire Water!

You can follow the progress of the campaign against the odours on the Hedon Blog by reading all the articles on this matter, in reverse chronological order, at the Hedon Blog at Yorkshire Water Smells.

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Posted in Council News, Yorkshire Water Smells

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Yorkshire Water Smells – No complaints recorded

Posted on October 27, 2011 by | Leave a comment

IN THE LATEST update from Yorkshire Water’s Hull and Saltend News webpage then NO COMPLAINTS about odours have been recorded in the week 17th October to 23rd October 2011. This means that for the whole of October only 1 complaint has been reported.

This is similar to the situation in October 2010 with 1 odour complaint, but far better than previous years with 25 complaints in the same month in 2009, and 20 each in October 2008 and October 2007.

The Hedon Blog has reproduced the latest odour report from Yorkshire Water below.

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Posted in Yorkshire Water Smells

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Yorkshire Water – Notice of Pea Harvest 2012

Posted on September 10, 2011 by | Leave a comment

“Summer 2012 – I’ll be back!”

Pea Pod Costume

AFTER A BUMPER CROP of peas from the harvest this year, the Yorkshire Post reports that:

“Farmers have been ploughing peas back into the ground after an astonishing set of harvests. An unprecedented pea crop was the most spectacular result of an unexpectedly good combination of circumstances for many growers this year… Birds Eye is offering contracts for hundreds of extra hectares next year, to meet a new order from Italy.”

So this article serves to give NOTICE to Yorkshire Water that the potential for SMELLS from its Waste Water Treatment Works will be even greater next year…

… so BE PREPARED Yorkshire Water! Make sure that your £3.5m Odour Control Unit is SWITCHED ON next summer, and get those chemical dowsers ready… it could be a really smelly summer 2012!

Grumpy Hedon Blogger

Editor’s Note: Yorkshire Water blamed concentrated effluent produced from the seasonal pea harvest for the most appalling smells from its Saltend site during the summer 2011. See Pea pong – odour misery! on HU12.

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Posted in Holderness, Hull, Yorkshire Water Smells

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Saltend Waste Water Treatment Works – “Impressive – but we are watching you!”

Posted on September 2, 2011 by | 1 Comment

THEY MAY look like giant recycling bins, but these are the component parts of the new £3.5m Odour Control Unit at the Waste Water Treatment Works at Saltend.

The Hedon Blog was invited to tour the site yesterday and see the construction work taking place of the new unit that is designed to “significantly reduce” odours from Saltend.

Following being treated by the existing odour control unit then the liquid waste products will be treated once again by the new unit. The larger tanks contain pumice stone, and bacteria in the rocks ‘eat’ the hydrogen sulphide which, Yorkshire Water’s Matt Thompson explained, is the chemical compound that creates the ‘rotten eggs’ odour. The resulting liquid is then blown through the smaller tanks which are filled with bacteria-infused sand. Essentially, the process should reduce odours.

Matt Thompson - Water in-water out

Yorkshire Water's Matt Thompson shows the raw sewage that comes into the site - and the resulting clean water

Yorkshire Water hosted a series of visits to its Saltend site yesterday in renewed efforts to explain the useful role that the facility plays in turning raw sewage into harmless water (albeit yellow coloured) that can be pumped back into the River Humber. It was an opportunity for the media to ask questions about the site and the multi-million pound investment into reducing odours.

The Hedon Blog took anti-smells campaigner Jo Gardner and her son Zak with us to see the facility for themselves. We asked Jo what she thought about the visit:

“It was very impressive to see how the site works – but we need to know that it will eliminate odours. The campaign will continue and Yorkshire Water knows that we are watching them!”

12-year old Zak said: “It was really cool! But it really smelled there!”

The point of conflict between Yorkshire Water and local campaigners is over the frequently used term to describe the water company’s aims, which is: “to significantly reduce odours.”  Campaigners want to see the elimination of odours from the site. The proof of the case will be in how significant the reduction of odour problems will be in practice.

The new odour control unit is expected to become operational in December 2011.

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Posted in Debate, Yorkshire Water Smells

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Day of Action against the Smells – Bring/make your banners!

Posted on August 10, 2011 by | Leave a comment

CAMPAIGNERS against Yorkshire Water’s Saltend Stinks have met for the first time. There will be further updates during the week, but for now here are some key dates to get in your diary!

Saturday 3rd September – Day of Action against the Smells. Come and show your support and stand with us in Paull at 9am and Hedon at 12 noon. Details to follow.

Wednesday 7th September – 12 noon. Deadline: Petition closes.

Wednesday 21st September – 9:30am. Lobby the East Riding Council Committee at County Hall, Beverley. Present petition to Council.

Look out for events to coincide with the drop-in sessions to be organised by Yorkshire Water in the next few weeks, and an event to coincide with the opening of the new Odour Control Unit at the Saltend site – and events in Hull.

All events will aim to show the anger that residents have at the ongoing stench problem, but also to be ‘fun’ with the guest appearance of our skunk mascot and we encourage residents to make and bring their own banners!

It may be the quiet ‘summer recess’ period now for lots of organisations – but we aim to continue creating a stink in order to get rid of one! “Quiet” is not on our agenda!

Continue to follow the Facebook Protest Group: Yorkshire Water needs to sort the smell out and those 530+ people who have signed up for further information from the campaign can expect to see our first e-mail newsletter very soon.

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Posted in Yorkshire Water Smells

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Name the campaigning smelly skunk!

Posted on August 8, 2011 by | 1 Comment

RESIDENTS IN PAULL are making a skunk costume to act as a mascot in theYorkshire Water Smells campaign. Can you help them come up with a name for our Yorkshire Water smelly skunk?

You have one vote!

The Poll will close on Monday 15th August 2011.

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Posted in Hedon, Just for fun, Yorkshire Water Smells

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Notice: Maintenance to take place on Yorkshire Water Odour Control Unit

Posted on August 8, 2011 by | Leave a comment

YORKSHIRE WATER have given notice on their website at Hull and Saltend News that they are to carry out maintenance this evening Monday 8th August 2011 on their existing Odour Control unit at the Saltend site:

“As part of our proactive approach to maintaining the efficiency of our existing odour control unit, we are due to replace the carbon filter starting late evening of Monday 8 August 2011. The work will be completed overnight to minimise the effect on the local community, and the unit is scheduled to be back up and running in the morning of 9 August 2011. Should you wish to discuss this further, please contact us on 0845 1 24 24 24.”

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Posted in Yorkshire Water Smells

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East Riding Council: Unprecedented number of odour complaints

Posted on August 7, 2011 by | Leave a comment

“…we have received an unprecedented number of complaints…”
Letter ERYC 3rd August001

ODOUR COMPLAINTS have reached unprecedented numbers the East Riding Council have admitted in a letter published last week.

The letter sent on Wednesday by Jonathan Smith, Environmental Health Officer, is a circular issued to those who have sent e-mails or called the council complaining about the odours.

Mr Smith apologises for not contacting those who have requested call backs to discuss odour issues, because “Unfortunately we have received an unprecedented number of complaints and it has not been possible to contact everyone individually.” 

The letter states that the Council takes this matter very seriously and the case is still under investigation. He invites people to continue to log further complaints by ringing 01482 396 301 (if you have complained before, quote the reference number you have been issued with).

All complaints should list your exact details of Name, address, contact telephone number, and the exact date, time, location and impact the odour had on you.

You can also e-mail Mr Smith at jonathan.smith@eastriding.gov.uk directly with the details outlined above.

I am sure that local residents will not want to disappoint Mr Smith. But please ensure that you offer the exact details stipulated.

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Posted in Holderness, Yorkshire Water Smells

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