Repairs at Charlottesville wastewater plant could cause stronger odor for neighbors

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Repairs at a Charlottesville wastewater plant could make the air smell worse for nearby neighbors.

Crews at the Moores Creek plant are draining one of its two holding ponds. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority said clearing out the settled solids may cause a stronger odor nearby.

Brian Haney, wastewater manager for the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, said the work is necessary. Once the pond is empty, crews can look for cracks in the concrete.

“In terms of what they’re trying to identify, similarly to when you would see cracks in pavement, you want to address those, because if you don’t, eventually that crack or those failures are just going to continue to be larger, and then lead to something that could be potentially more catastrophic,” Haney said.

The authority expects the bulk of the solids removal to take about two weeks. After that, it said odors should fade quickly.

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