‘Going outside makes you gag’: Stench from wastewater plant spreads across Newport
By Ross Ketschke
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NEWPORT, New Hampshire (WMUR) — Something stinks in Newport.
For days, a powerful stench from the town’s wastewater treatment plant has blanketed areas of the Sullivan County community, reaching as far away as downtown.
Over the last few days, community members have reported headaches and feeling nauseous as a result of the smell.
Heather Dunlap has lived next to the wastewater facility’s main gate for eight years. She said there is occasionally a faint smell from the plant in the hot summer months, but there has never been anything this strong or persistent.
“It kind of smells like we’re in a dump,” Dunlap said. “I have to keep my windows closed because the smell seeps into my house.”
According to town manager Kyle Harris, the primary blower in the plant’s aeration system failed several days ago. Shortly after, the system’s backup blower also failed, and it took some work to make the permanent replacement compatible with the plant’s aging system.
Nikki Murphy lives with her husband and children in a neighborhood close to the plant. She said her son was recently diagnosed with pneumonia. They have relocated to a nearby hotel to get away from the smell.
“It was very mild at first, then it just started getting stronger and stronger,” Murphy said. “It’s stuck inside my house and we can’t sleep, can’t do anything. Just stepping outside makes you gag.”
Harris said the new blower has been working, but he expects it will take a few days for the smell to subside.
“We’re constantly working on making sure the system is running,” he said. “It’s a high priority for the town as well as our department of public works to make sure it continues to run, and hopefully, we can get this odor under control as soon as possible.”
Newport recently approved funding for a new wastewater facility. The town expects to break ground on the new plant as early as this month.
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