City and cannery officials on Wednesday had
”
pretty much eliminated
”
the stench downtown caused by waste in a storm drain, public
works official Clay Lee said today.
City and cannery officials by Wednesday had “pretty much eliminated” the stench downtown caused by waste in a storm drain, public works official Clay Lee said today.
For the past several weeks, there had been a stench near the cannery. It was focused at Seventh and Washington streets. City officials responded when notified by the Free Lance earlier this week and worked with the San Benito Foods tomato cannery to address the acidity issue, Lee said.
Lee noted how lower pH levels cause the smell. San Benito Foods, which runs its canning season for about 10 weeks each summer, is required by contract to control such odors. The pH level is supposed to stay at 8.0 or above and it had been going below it, causing the smell, Lee said.
Wastewaster Treatment Supervisor Dennis Rose on Tuesday followed up by working with the cannery to get the pH levels back up.
“That pretty much eliminated the odor issues yesterday,” Lee said today, “though the cannery is still trying to get their balances just right.
“Too high of a pH level kills the bacteria that eats the tomato waste.”
Lee noted how the cannery has a process to control the levels of pH as the waste transports from the collection system to the industrial sewer pond on the west side.
“Ultimately, the responsibility is on the cannery to keep an odor-free operation – it’s part of their contract,” Lee said. “The bottom line is we’re on it now. We’ve communicated with the air pollution control district representative, and she’s fine with where we’re at.”
Residents with such complaints are advised to call the public works department at (831) 636-4377.
