More than 24 odour complaints spur action

The Tillsonburg Wastewater Treatment Plant provides wastewater treatment for residential, commercial, industrial and institutional users in the Town of Tillsonburg. (Chris Abbott Photo)

Brian Williams, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Oxford County is taking action to address odours from a wastewater treatment plant in Tillsonburg after receiving more than two dozen complaints.

Don Ford, Oxford County’s manager of water and wastewater services, said staff are working to minimize the foul smells from the plant.

Staff have “looked at ways to optimize” how the plant works to reduce odours, such as increasing the frequency of screenings – a process that separates larger objects and debris from wastewater flow – from bi-weekly to weekly, he said.

The wastewater treatment facility is located in a low-lying area in Tillsonburg’s south end. Ford said he’s heard from county staff of at least 26 complaints from residents since May about the smell from the plant, among nine such facilities in Oxford County.

“These odours are nuisances, and we don't want to impact the enjoyment of our neighbours’ property, so that, too, is important to us, as well as the fact that the plant is working effectively," he said.

The odours from the plant have been made worse by warmer temperatures, Ford said, adding the smells have been released through exhaust from a new rooftop HVAC system. The plant, however, was operating reliably and there were no safety issues.

A statement posted to Oxford County’s Facebook page indicated it was refreshing the facility’s biofilter and reviewing its treatment process. Staff were also seeking funding approval from Oxford County politicians to “add new odour abatement equipment to eliminate odours,” the statement said.

Ford said he believes the odours from the plant would be eliminated once new equipment is installed, which could be “very early in the new year." He noted that operational efforts and cooler temperatures would ease the problem in the meantime.

The first phase of a $12-million upgrade at the facility was completed at the end of 2024 and into the beginning of 2025. It will help prepare the facility for additional capacity and prepare the expanding municipality for future growth, Ford said. He didn’t indicate when the second phase was taking place.

Wastewater treatment facilities are critical in supporting the growth of municipalities.

Tillsonburg was cited in January as one of the fastest-growing populations among smaller urban centres in Southwestern Ontario.

The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

bwilliams@postmedia.com