Anglian Water sewage site near Norwich undergoes work

Whitlingham Anglian Water Sewage Treatment Works replaced old machinery with bigger pumps and new equipment during the summer.  

While the work was being carried out, the plant used temporary solutions which caused an increase in the stench reaching local folk.

Sarah Smith, 52, who lives in Trowse, said: "The smell can be truly horrific.

"It is infrequent, though - a couple of times a season, maybe, for a couple of days."

Her neighbour Hermione Palmer added: "It was pretty smelly over the summer - perhaps a bit more than it has been in previous years.

"I had to close my window against the smell for the first time this summer when it was really pungent.

"Lately though it hasn't been so bad - but it tends to be better in colder weather. Next summer will be the test."

People living near the Anglian Water-owned site got so fed up with the stench coming from the sewage plant that they complained to Norwich North MP Alice Macdonald.

Alice Macdonald MP (far right) visited the sewage works (Image: Office of Alice Macdonald MP)

After visiting the site to look at the upgrades she said: "It was very useful to be able to follow up on the concerns of my constituents with a site visit to Anglian Water and see first-hand some of the safeguards they’re putting in place to protect residents from the recent bad smells caused by the upgrade."

The work is part of a £26m investment to upgrade Anglian Water services across the city which will include works to storm overflows, sewer flooding and algae in rivers.

The MP for Norwich North (middle left) waded in on the issue after Thorpe St Andrew locals could smell the stench during the summer (Image: Office of Alice Macdonald MP)

As a byproduct of this work, the water company said odour issues in the area should be improved.

Alice Macdonald MP continued: "We discussed a variety of issues including water quality, water bills, improvements to the treatment works and efforts to convert methane gas into green energy.”

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Reporter Phoebe Ozanne experienced 'The Great Stink' herself during the summer (Image: William Warnes) Grant Tuffs, Regional Engagement Manager at Anglian Water, added: "It was a great opportunity to talk about the multi-million-pound investment we have planned for Whitlingham and more broadly across Norwich over the next five years to help reduce odour impact, meet more rigorous environmental standards and increase capacity for an expanding city."