The poor air quality for those who live in the vicinity of the sewage lagoon was a major topic of discussion at the Jan. 7 Board of Aldermen meeting.
Area resident Jimmy Rone addressed the board about the foul odor emanating from the lagoon that started several weeks ago and has continued almost constantly for several weeks.
Rone, who referred to the odor and its impact as “The Stench that Stole Christmas,” posed several questions to the board and Mayor Jimmy Cockroft. First, he asked what happened to cause the odor to last so long.
According to Cockroft and Steve Womack of Maintenance Systems Incorporated, weather changes have been the main cause. They noted recent warm days and cold nights, as well as an extreme amount of rain since November — approximately 11 inches — as significant factors. These conditions, they told Rone, push the oxygen down causing the lagoon to be constantly turning over. When that happens, the lagoon produces hydrogen sulfide gas, the rotten egg odor.
Rone also asked how the problem is being fixed. Cockroft admitted that those responsible for care of the lagoon did not add chemicals, like sodium nitrate, soon enough. That, he said, had been done recently, but needs time to get the problem under control.
Rone also wanted to know how long it will take to solve the problem. Cockroft said a representative from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality had visited to evaluate the situation on the morning of the meeting. According to Cockroft, she had indicated that the city had done all it could once the chemicals were added, and that she expected that to stem the problem.
Rone’s final question was related to plans to avoid this problem in the future. Womack and Cockroft both said they have a plan in place to add sodium nitrate as necessary in cooperation with the DEQ. Womack also said that his company will be investigating all wastewater streams that lead into the lagoon to get a better understanding of the causes of the periodic problems.
