Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant
Community Odor Survey Project
(WEA Project #266-04)

Verbal Description

Survey #4 - Pre Zimpro shutdown

The community odor survey was conducted on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 30, 2001. It was a partly sunny day with almost no wind. The temperature was about 70°F.

For the five (5) ambient sampling locations (#1-#5) in the neighborhoods north and northeast of the treatment plant, along the Dumesnil St. corridor, the odor intensities were very faint and the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations ranged from 7-9 parts per billion (ppb). No Zimpro odors from the MFWTP were detected at any of these stations.

Non-detectable to very faint odors were detected at the three (3) sampling stations (#6-#8) in the neighborhoods east and southeast of the plant. No MFWTP odors were detected. H2S levels were 8-9 ppb at these stations.

For the three (3) sampling stations (#9-#11) located south and southwest of the treatment plant in the more industrial areas of the City, the odor levels were very faint to faint. The H2S concentrations were 9-10 ppb. An industrial chemical odor was detectable at stations #9 and #10 from Rubbertown.

At the MFWTP, there was no wind. The odor intensity at the seven (7) sampling stations around the plant ranged from faint to strong. H2S concentrations at these stations ranged from 0-129 ppb with the highest readings measured at station #17 where the average H2S was about 77 ppb. Both biotowers were out of service for repairs to distribution arms and both scrubbers were shut down. There was a strong sludge odor in the area of the biotowers and steam was coming out of the top of the towers. The portable incinerator was on standby operating mode today. The existing stationary incinerator (PTO) appeared to be operating normally. The oxygen ionization system for the DAFT room in the main equipment building was started on October 26, 2001 and was operating today. There seemed to be a noticeable improvement in odor levels inside the DAFT room. The overall odor levels at the site and in the community were about as low as ever measured during these surveys.

Norm Robinson was contacted on October 31, 2001 and he said someone had called in an odor complaint to the APCB at 3:30 p.m. (the same time as this survey) on October 30, 2001. Based on the findings of this survey, it is highly unlikely that the odor the resident detected was being emitted from the MFWTP.

Odor surveys will be conducted an average of once every two weeks during this project and will be conducted through August, 2002.