Government

Eliminating sewer smell won’t be as costly as expected

Greenport's sewage treatment plant may need $35,000 worth of repairs. (Cyndi Murray photo)
Greenport’s sewage treatment plant requires $18,000 worth of repairs. (Credit: Cyndi Murray, file)

Eliminating the foul odors exuding from Greenport’s sewage treatment plant will cost roughly $17,000 less than originally estimated, according to Greenport Village administrator Paul Pallas.

In May, the village board allocated $35,000 toward the purchase of an aerator for the plant’s tank, although the smell had mostly subsided by then. The “blower,” which would act like fans, would be installed in the tank and run year-round to eliminate the smell, according to Ray Dunbar, the Sewer Department supervisor.

Mr. Pallas said during Monday’s work session that the project would now cost about $18,000.

The installation of a floating aerator, which will act like a fan, can be done in-house, he said. Officials previously thought the work would need to be completed by an outside vendor for an additional $15,000 to $20,000, Mr. Pallas said.

Earlier this year, the village had received several complaints about sewage smells coming from the direction of the Moores Lane plant when the wind blew out of the northwest. Although there haven’t been any new reports of smells, Mr. Pallas said the stench has been intermittent for years and is worth the cost of fixing.

[email protected]