Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are a potential source of odour emissions. The actual sources are usually from inlet works, sludge handling areas and primary clarifiers. The inlet works are typically high in hydrogen sulfide (HsS) emissions.

As a result of the potential for odour, councils and operators of WWTPs are especially concerned with ensuring odour emissions are managed in accordance with accepted standards set by EPAs and air quality goals covered in legislation in order to minimise odour impacting on nearby communities.

Regulations have become more stringent in recent years and are designed to ensure positive outcomes in the sphere of human health, aesthetic enjoyment, biological integrity and local amenity.

We have conducted numerous air quality assessments of waste water treatment plants, especially when these plants are upgraded, processes are modified, control facilities are augmented (e.g. new scrubbers employed), or when new plants are proposed for development.

The services we provide include:

• Preparing Environmental Impact Statements
• Assessing potential offsite odour impacts 
• Managing odour sampling projects 
• Reviewing a WWTP’s existing environmental management plans 
• Conducting regular odour assessments 
• Recommending odour management and mitigation measures.

A typical odour study may involve identifying the source of odours, collecting odour samples onsite, estimating odour emission rates based on the collected samples, and running dispersion modelling to determine the extent of the impact and to see whether the predicted emissions comply with regulatory standards. 

Our completed projects include WWTPs for Western Australia EPA, Lismore Water, Brisbane Water, South Australia Water Corporation, Hervey Bay City Council and Ipswich City Council.