'Absolutely vile': Residents speak out about smell from water plant

A sewage-like smell from a nearby Saur Waste Water and Treatment Works (WWTW) has had locals complaining for years about the effect the smell is having on their homes.

With some saying they can't sit outside at night to children not wanting to play in the streets, the Post spoke to some of those affected and heard mixed reactions.

Community champion Maryanne Scott lives locally on Durban Avenue and says the smell is holding back her seven-year-old daughter from playing.

READ MORE: Councillor leads campaign as ‘smell’ that plagues Dalmuir returns

Maryanne is a community champion who volunteers in a nearby church (Image: Newsquest) She said: “It's terrible and it's absolutely vile. It has been the same for years and it's always in the good weather that the worst smell hits.

"My wee one is just old enough to get out and play in the streets with other kids and quite often they will come back in the house because the smell is so bad. It's hard enough trying to get them outside.

“It's like a toilet has been backed up and you can smell it all the way through Dalmuir. It's mostly during the day when it is sunny and dry.

“This area has worked itself up to being a nice place now, with all these new cafes and such but you don’t want to sit out when it smells like this.”

Douglas Young lives in a flat near the Saur plant (Image: Newsquest) Douglas Young who stays on a ground-floor flat in Dalmuir says it smells like s**t.

He said: “You don’t get it daily but in the summer there are days you have to shut your windows. I didn’t know the plant was there when I moved in but it stinks.

“I think a few years ago they were investing money into some sort of perfume.

“It's just one of those things, what is the solution other than shutting the place down?”

According to Scottish Water, odour monitors have been installed inside the plant and they are monitored for hydrogen sulphide (a gas that smells like rotten egg).

However many residents insist that the smell is palpable.

The issue has dated back years and after harsh community criticism, Scottish Water invested £20m into fixing the issue back in 2014.

Yet, many in the area say it only calmed down for a while and now it is on the return.

Tracie Clark said: “If the smell is just starting again and there is a preventative measure they could bring in so it doesn’t get as bad as it was before, that would be good.

"When it was the height of being bad those who lived close by couldn’t sit outside or leave their windows open in hot weather and though we are not at that stage we want to prevent it.”

One resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “It blows right into the house and stinks the house out.”

Graham and Susan don't see an issue with the smell (Image: Newsquest) However, locals Graham Parton and Susan Dick who own greenspace near the plant say it’s a ‘pile of pants’ that people are complaining about it.

Susan said: “They are just doing maintenance work. I’ve lived here all my life – if you live next to a sewage plant, it's going to smell.

“What do people think happens when you flush your toilets?

“The pipes run from our houses so it's their own s**t people are smelling. We don’t have an issue.

“Occasionally we smell a whiff but if people keep building next to sewage works they have no right to comment on it.

“If you have moved into a property next to sewage works you know what you're getting. It is such an odd thing.”

Scottish Water has commented on the situation saying that they continuously monitor the situation and are committed to minimising odour.