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Atlantic Beach says DATCO tank drain and treatment should curb wastewater odors this week
Summary
City staff told the commission they had been draining about 500,000 gallons from a temporary storage tank (DATCO) that went septic, and they expect treatment and cleaning to be completed this week. Commissioners pressed for sensors, third‑party review, and regular website updates for residents.
City staff told the commission they expect to largely eliminate the recent, pervasive odors from the wastewater-treatment plant once crews drain and treat material stored in a temporary tank and complete several mitigation measures.
"There was about 500,000 gallons of material in there. They have been draining it out and treating it," City Manager Killingsworth told the commission, adding that the team expects the work to finish this week, weather permitting. He said staff planned to pressure-wash and disinfect the tank after treatment.
Killingsworth outlined additional steps staff are pursuing: inspecting and repairing air filters that serve the centrifuge room, installing fencing to limit airflow around dumpsters near the influent screens, optimizing hydrogen-peroxide dosing in headworks, and seeking vendor-supplied covers for infrared screens. He said the city has reached out to engineering firms that specialize in odor control and to JEA for assistance and a systems review.
Commissioners and residents pressed for clearer public information and for objective air- or particle-sensing data. One commissioner asked whether sensors exist to detect the volatile fatty acids produced when effluent goes septic; staff replied that current sulfur-dioxide sensors do not detect those compounds and that they will task staff with identifying appropriate instruments or consultants that could measure the specific emissions.
The commission also asked for a regular cadence of public updates; staff agreed to post at least two updates per week on the city website until the problem is resolved and said an initial update had already been posted on August 22. Killingsworth said the city will follow up with a third-party review of plant processes after staff implement low-hanging infrastructure fixes.
What happens next: Staff expects the tank draining, treatment and cleaning to be completed this week (weather permitting). The city will pursue additional inspections, vendor solutions, and a third-party engineering review; staff committed to more frequent website updates while remediation continues.
Speakers quoted: Killingsworth (city manager); Chief Khalilow (police department) provided context for public-safety communications during a separate incident referenced in the discussion.
Ending: The city framed the DATCO tank as the principal source of the recent odors and said it will pursue further process reviews and additional monitoring to remove subjectiveness from odor complaints.
