"Smelly" plant will remain - despite rows
Thursday, 21st September 2000.
THERE are no plans to move Haverhill's sewage treatment works out of the town, an Anglian Water spokesman has confirmed.
Dennis Doman, Anglian Water's Service Delivery Manager for the town, attended the Haverhill Partnership Group's meeting this week to update the situation at the works, following repeated complaints about its smell.
Mr Doman said he believed there had been an improvement since a larger fan was installed at the sludge treatment plant in late July, so that the doors could be closed, and the fan at Sturmer Arches has been working.
David Osborne, of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Environmental Health department, said they had monitored the site daily.
There had been a positive response from the company to its threat of enforcement action although the problem was not yet completely cured.
Mr Doman said the company had spent £1.5 million on improving the Haverhill works.
“We have no firm plans to relocate the site. We are looking to make improvements on the existing site,” he said.
“People have been saying there is potential for more large expansion in Haverhill but there is nothing concrete.
“As a company, we can only plan for what we know. If something came out to say there would be massive expansion of the town, we would give it due consideration.
“As things stand, we are confident we can cope where we are.”
Phillip French said he believed the only solution to the smell problem was to move the works out of the town.
He said: “I have lived here for 30 years and suffered that smell for 30 years. Time after time, you have promised us improvements and it never works out that way.
“When I was walking down Ebringshausen Way on Thursday night, the stench was overwhelming.”
Maggie Lee said it was not just a problem for people living nearby but for the whole town and many people had given up complaining because it did no good.
“We put up with so much here. If the smell level we have was anywhere else, your complaints would go through the roof.
“We shouldn’t have to put up with it,” Coun Lee said.
Bob Green said he believed Haverhill should be treated as a special case because the high amount of chemical effluent made sewage more difficult to treat.
Dennis Doman, Anglian Water's Service Delivery Manager for the town, attended the Haverhill Partnership Group's meeting this week to update the situation at the works, following repeated complaints about its smell.
Mr Doman said he believed there had been an improvement since a larger fan was installed at the sludge treatment plant in late July, so that the doors could be closed, and the fan at Sturmer Arches has been working.
David Osborne, of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Environmental Health department, said they had monitored the site daily.
There had been a positive response from the company to its threat of enforcement action although the problem was not yet completely cured.
Mr Doman said the company had spent £1.5 million on improving the Haverhill works.
“We have no firm plans to relocate the site. We are looking to make improvements on the existing site,” he said.
“People have been saying there is potential for more large expansion in Haverhill but there is nothing concrete.
“As a company, we can only plan for what we know. If something came out to say there would be massive expansion of the town, we would give it due consideration.
“As things stand, we are confident we can cope where we are.”
Phillip French said he believed the only solution to the smell problem was to move the works out of the town.
He said: “I have lived here for 30 years and suffered that smell for 30 years. Time after time, you have promised us improvements and it never works out that way.
“When I was walking down Ebringshausen Way on Thursday night, the stench was overwhelming.”
Maggie Lee said it was not just a problem for people living nearby but for the whole town and many people had given up complaining because it did no good.
“We put up with so much here. If the smell level we have was anywhere else, your complaints would go through the roof.
“We shouldn’t have to put up with it,” Coun Lee said.
Bob Green said he believed Haverhill should be treated as a special case because the high amount of chemical effluent made sewage more difficult to treat.
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