Something is rotten in the southeast corner of Calgary, and the city intends to get to the bottom of it.
Specifically, the problem is a foul odor that’s causing residents in some communities to spend more time indoors this summer.
Kyle Pepper, who lives in the New Brighton community, likes to get out and enjoy the summer weather in his backyard. But it hasn’t been because of something dirty in the breeze.
“It’s been pretty atrocious for weeks and it’s getting bad and they need to do something about it. I think this is the worst year we’ve had,” Pepper said.
“It’s terrible. Usually in the evening.”
Shelly Keen, who lives in Copperfield, said it smells horrible.
“It smells like rot, like a kind of sour rot smell,” he said. “I do not like it”.
District 12 Coun. Evan Spencer, seen here in council chambers in March, says he’s heard the complaints about the smell. (Oseremen Irete/CBC)
The area’s councilman, Ward 12 Evan Spencer, has heard the complaints.
“The reports coming in are that sometimes it smells like sour garbage or just fecal matter,” Spencer said.
What causes it?
The smell seems to come and go. But the bigger question, he said, is: What is the source?
Shepard’s landfill is not believed to be the cause of the problem. Spencer said there can sometimes be odors coming from the city’s composting facilities.
It’s also possible the smell is coming from nearby farm fields or wetlands near Stoney Trail that have dried up during a recent hot spell.
Spencer learned this week that the city has hired a contractor to do the monitoring at its southeast facility.
Odor management is a priority
The city said it does not know the source of the smell.
A communications supervisor with the city, Blair Riddle, said no odors have been detected in the vicinity of their composting facility.
“There has been almost no hauling of finished compost from the facility and no loading or hauling of finished compost at night,” Riddle said.
“Odor management is one of our top priorities. We have invested in odor control systems to filter them out. Large biofilters are used to reduce odors before exhausting the building air.”
While the search for the source of the stench continues, Spencer encourages residents to call the city’s 311 service if they detect this odor on the breeze.