Sludge Watch ==> UK Sewage Works Odour Nuisance Code of Practice

[maureen.reilly at sympatico.ca]

Sewage odour code of practice for England and Wales

The Environment Department and the Welsh Assembly have introduced a 
voluntary code of practice for odour from sewage works.1

The code encourages best practice from treatment plant operators and 
provides a framework for local authorities to deal with complaints from the 
public. Unlike the Scottish equivalent, it is not statutory.

Odour from sewage works has been a problem over the past twenty years as 
housing has encroached on sewage works and public expectations have 
increased, the code says.

It sets out procedures for measuring odour problems and dealing with 
complaints from the public sensitively. There is also advice on minimising 
odour with good housekeeping and better infrastructure. Enclosures and 
treatment can be installed, or the odour source moved as far as possible 
from residents. All of this will depend on funding approval by Ofwat.

A draft version of the code drew criticism from environmental health 
officers for bias towards water firms and misunderstanding of the statutory 
nuisance regime that provides for prosecution (ENDS Report 364, pp 39-40 ).

Further information

1 Code of Practice on Odour Nuisance from Sewage Treatment Works 
(http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/odour/cop.htm)