City working to eliminate odors in Hamilton neighborhood with sewer changes

The city of Hamilton is taking multiple steps to reduce odors from the sewer system on a stretch of Corwin Avenue after resident complaints to city staff during a neighborhood meeting.

City officials met with residents on Sept. 30 who were “quite upset” about the issue in the 600, 700 and 800 blocks of Corwin, City Manager Joshua Smith told the city council during its meeting on Wednesday.

Officials installed or will be installing nine Manhole Odor Eliminator units in the area and added biological tablets to 17 manholes to battle the hydrogen sulfide that generates the odors.

To monitor any health concerns, the city also hired ATC, a company that provides environmental consulting, to test the air for hydrogen sulfide. Longer-term monitors will also be installed.

There are plans in the works to enlarge the sewer line from an area with several businesses through the Corwin Avenue area, a project that will also eliminate a 10-foot drop in the line that could be contributing to the odor release, Smith told the council.

“As council can see and hopefully the public can see, we have taken this issue very seriously, there has been a lot of thought that has gone into an action plan,” Smith said.

City representatives hand-delivered letters to residents in the affected area this week as a response following the neighborhood meeting.

In recent months, city officials have said they’re giving more attention to the strength of their neighborhoods. In part, that’s because of a flow of new businesses to the city, which has added to its downtown and Main Street corridor.

This response came from listening to those in the neighborhood, officials said.

“We heard from the residents, and we’re acting," said Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller.

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