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Residents press Atlantic Beach to fix recurring sewage odor; city outlines operational fixes and a voluntary compliance plan
Summary
Residents from Sailfish Drive and other neighborhoods urged the commission to eliminate persistent sewage odors they say come from the city's wastewater treatment plant; staff described recent construction‑related spills, operational changes underway, a voluntary compliance plan and possible third‑party testing requested by county environmental regulators.
Residents urged the Atlantic Beach commission on Aug. 25 to take concrete action after repeated, sometimes nauseating sewage odors from the wastewater treatment plant.
Dominic Manganie, 10, opened public comments by saying the odor in his neighborhood is "really stinky," embarrassing him in front of friends. His mother, Florinda Manganie, told the commission the smell has persisted for years, described multiple complaint tickets and said residents want "elimination, not temporary fixes." Several other neighbors, including Andrew Crane, echoed those concerns and said the smell has interfered with outdoor life and could harm property values.
City Manager Killingsworth and City Engineer Steve Swan explained that a recent rehabilitation of the plant's headworks required temporary bypasses and nighttime work, and that an on‑site spill during that process exacerbated odors. Swan described operational changes staff are implementing—moving where vacuum‑truck waste is dumped, process adjustments at the headworks and other "low‑hanging fruit"—and said the city currently spends about $100,000 a year on odor control. "We're going to dive into this now," Swan said, adding the city will coordinate with the Jacksonville Environmental Quality Division and may hire a third party to evaluate the system.
Troy (plant staff) said residual material remained in a refurbished tank and staff have been adding "mixed liquor" (sludge) to restore biological balance; that return to normal operation will take time and may cause intermittent odors. Killingsworth told the commission he and staff will meet with residents and provide updates and asked staff to return with an update at the next meeting. Swan said the county may expect a six‑month plan for voluntary compliance.
Why it matters: Persistent odors from a municipal wastewater plant affect residents' quality of life, raise potential public‑health concerns and can affect property values. Residents requested independent air testing, timelines and transparent communication.
Next steps: Staff committed to meeting with affected residents, publishing a project page with status updates, implementing operational changes immediately and returning to the commission with further updates; county environmental officials may require additional measures.
