Council hears complaints about sewage odors; utility invites residents for Duck Island tour

Councilors on June 30 asked city staff to investigate recurring sewage odors emanating from the Duck Island wastewater treatment area and to brief neighborhoods on the city's mitigation steps.

Councilor Juran said residents, including people on his side of the river, have reported increasingly strong sewage odors over the past month and asked the utility department to provide a public briefing. "Mr. Fox has also invited neighbors to tour the Duck Island wastewater treatment facility on July 7th...so residents can speak with his team, see how the wastewater treatment process works, and learn about the odor capture systems firsthand," he said.

Manager Golden and Mr. Fox said staff are tracking complaints and can arrange both the July 7 tour, and additional neighborhood presentations if demand requires it. The administration described the tour as an opportunity for residents to see the existing odor-capture systems and for staff to explain near-term and longer-term plans for wastewater improvements.

Why it matters: Persistent sewer odors are a direct quality‑of‑life concern for adjacent neighborhoods and can indicate operational issues or infrastructure needs at treatment facilities. The council approved a motion asking the manager to have the property department discuss causes and remedies and supported outreach and tours so residents can ask questions directly of operations staff.

Next step: Staff said they will proceed with the July 7 tour and follow up on requests for additional briefings; residents were told to contact the city website or Councilor Juran to join the list.