Norwich MP intervenes amid complaints of 'horrendous' smell

Alice Macdonald, MP for Norwich North, has waded into a long-running row between Anglian Water and people living in Thorpe.

Locals who have been troubled by odours from the sewage treatment plant at Whitlingham say the stench has been particularly "insufferable" in recent months while the company has been carrying out upgrades and using temporary equipment.

A spokeswoman for Anglian Water said the smell should have improved by the start of the month, once the refurbishment was completed. 

Norwich North MP Alice Macdonald (Image: Roger Harris)

Ms Macdonald, Labour MP for the constituency, said: "I have been contacted by several residents from Thorpe raising concerns about strong odours in the area and have approached Anglian Water regarding this.

"They have been very responsive and told me they are working hard to minimise any odours caused by them and have engaged with local councils to review reports from residents. They are also considering a broader odour survey which I would welcome so they can better understand the extent of the problem.

"It is good news that the upgrade work is complete which should hopefully minimise these unpleasant smells. I hope to arrange a visit to the plant with Anglian Water soon to discuss the issue in more detail and explore longer term solutions as this has been an ongoing issue for a number of years."

The facility at Whitlingham treats wastewater from the city and surrounding towns and villages as well as processing 'sludge' - solid matter from sewage that can be used as fertiliser.

People living near the facility have long complained of bad smells but say the last few weeks have been particularly unpleasant while temporary equipment has been in use.

READ MORE: Villagers describe "intolerable summer" of fly infestations at meeting

Reporter Phoebe Ozanne experiences the 'stink' herself (Image: William Warnes)

A spokeswoman for Anglian Water said: "Our water recycling centre at Whitlingham receives tens of thousands of litres of sewage everyday, so keeping odours to a minimum is something we take seriously.

"We’ve recently upgraded the equipment at the water recycling centre to ensure we have the capacity to deal with Norwich’s growing population – which includes upgrades to our sludge treatment process.

"The nature of the site, and the job it’s there to do, means there will inevitably be some smells from time to time. Our teams are continuing to work hard to reduce odours coming from the water recycling centre – including using specialist equipment and chemicals to stop smells escaping into the air as much as possible.

"We’re also working closely with the local councils to review reports of odours on a daily basis so we can do what we can to reduce any further odours coming from our sludge treatment without impacting the local environment."