OGDENSBURG -- The City of Ogdensburg is taking corrective measures to mitigate odors from the WasteWater Treatment Plant following excessive rainfall that has exacerbated the smells.

In a press release, City Manager Fonda Chronis detailed the work being done, saying the "extraordinarily wet weather, along with additional sewer flows from outside the city" have caused the excess odors residents are currently smelling.

"City staff has been aware of the situation and are actively working on solutions. Unfortunately, it has taken longer than expected to put corrective measures in place," he said.

Chronis said the smells became even more intense on Aug. 29, leading him to direct city staff to "take immediate action to mitigate this excessive odor coming from the plant."

He said city staff contacted the engineering firm and contractor currently working on the project immediately.

"Together, we decided the best short-term fix would be to install a valve that can direct wastewater flow from outside the city and send it directly to treatment rather than into a holding tank," Chronis said.

Specific plans are in place, parts and materials have been ordered and the contractor has committed to perform the work as soon as the materials arrive, Chronis said.

"I do not have a timetable for completion at this time because we are unsure when materials will be delivered, but construction time once everything is set should only be a few days. Longer term, a more comprehensive plan to address excessive odors coming from the plant is developed and awaits funding approval from the federal government. We believe the actions taken today should significantly mitigate the problem once construction is complete," he said.

Chronis said he has also asked city staff to put in "other measures designed to address specific waste products that inordinately add to the odor problem."

"Late yesterday afternoon, after I directed city staff to take the aggressive measures described above, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the city relative to the odor from the WWTP. In a conversation with the DEC about the NOV, I informed them of the actions I directed earlier in the day, and they noted this proactive action by the city," he said.

Chronis said both city council and staff recognize the hardships citizens have faced this summer regarding odor coming from the wastewater treatment plant. He commented that city officials took "decisive action yesterday" to mitigate the situation.

"We thank our engineering and construction partners for their willingness to ‘drop everything’ to help us, and we thank the village of Heuvelton for backing the city’s decision to move forward before regulators sign off on funding for making these engineering improvements," he said.