Saturday, October 24, 2009

N. Valley Odor Control Station in the Works

By Elaine D. BriseÑO
Journal Staff Writer
          Things are soon going to smell a whole lot nicer for North Valley and Downtown residents.
        The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has plans to install an odor-control station at the intersection of Second and Griegos. The station will be located in a vacant lot the authority owns across from La Luz Elementary.
        The station will disperse the chemical ferrous chloride (an iron salt) into two nearby sewer lines to help neutralize the odors.
        David Morris, spokesman for the authority, said they had received odor complaints from about 30 locations served by the sewer lines since 2007. Those complaints came from neighborhoods south of the proposed station, including Downtown, Wells Park and Barelas.
        Morris said the odors tend to be worse in the warmer months. He said gases from the sewage escapes and seeps out of toilets and home drains. It smells similar to that of rotten eggs.
        Morris said the authority hopes to start construction on the $300,000 project by the end of the year and finish it in the spring before the weather gets warm.
        The authority held a public meeting earlier this month at La Luz Elementary. Morris said residents did not voice any opposition to the proposal. The station sits within the Greater Gardner Neighborhood Association.
        It will have a device to detect leaks, an alarm system and the central command center will monitor the property with onsite cameras. There will also be brick and iron walls around the property. The tank containing the chemical will be underground.
        The authority opened a similar station at Yucca and Central in 2007. The North Valley station will resemble the Yucca project.
       

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