Seafield Sewage Works – Page 2 – Leith Links Community Council

Local MSP responds to latest 188 complaints of foul odour emissions

19th June 2020

Earlier this week we responded to the massive number of foul odour emissions complaints we were receiving, as of 7pm this evening we have received 188 such complaints.

On the 18th June Scottish Water responded by attributing odour complaints to another nearby site, and not making any mention of odours associated with Seafield.

Earlier today the office of Ben MacPherson MSP offered comment on this weeks severe foul odour issue. A spokesman said;

Thank you for reporting odour in the community using the Leith Links Community Council (LCCC) reporting form. Your complaint is copied to Ben Macpherson MSP as part of that process. Ben wanted me to respond to you on his behalf to outline the action that his office takes when there are reports of odour from Seafield.

This week there has been a very high number of complaints seen by Ben’s office and we have been in contact daily with Scottish Water, regularly with City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) as the primary regulator and we have also been in touch with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). I understand that CEC will respond to the recent complaints once

As the local constituency MSP Ben chairs the Seafield Stakeholders Group which brings together Scottish Water, the plant’s operators Veolia, CEC, SEPA, community representatives from the LCCC and the Leith Links Residents Association (LLRC) along with local councillors and representatives from the offices of Deidre Brock MP, Tommy Sheppard MP and Ash Denham MSP. This group allows a forum for discussion about the operation of the plant, odour incidences, improvements in and future investment in the plant. Information on the Stakeholders Group and the Strategic Review is available here.

As local MSP and chair of the Stakeholder Group Ben has raised the issues of ongoing odour complaints and future investment in the plant with the Cabinet Secretary for Environment Roseanna Cunningham MSP and as a result of his intervention a Strategic Review was carried out into the plant and the wider network to establish steps that can be taken operationally and through future investment to improve the performance of the works and in particular the odour impact on the local community.

Ben shares your concerns over the recent odour incidences and had written to the Cabinet Secretary following odour complaints in April – her response is attached to this email. Ben’s office will continue to engage with Scottish Water, the Council, SEPA and the community representatives over this issue to seek answers and solutions. There is investment coming which should improve matters and reduce odour problems but until then Ben will push for operational improvements to mitigate odour.

In closing Ben takes the issue of odour from the Seafield WWTW very seriously and will continue to make a strong case on behalf of his constituents when issues arise and also to ensure that the plant gets the investment it needs for the future and to minimise odour issues.

Thank you again for reporting this odour occurrence.

Leith Links Community Council continues to encourage any member of our community who is negatively impacted by the release of foul odour emissions from the Seafield site to report such incidents via our website.

Our online reporting tool not only notifies Scottish Water, but simultaneously informs the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Veolia UK, Leith Links Community Council, City of Edinburgh Council (officers and Councillors Booth, Munro & McVey), the Scottish Governments Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and local MSP Ben MacPherson.

2020, Ash Denham MSP, Ben MacPherson MSP, Deidre Brock MP, June, Leith Links Residents Association, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Scottish Water, Seafield Sewage Works, Tommy Sheppard MP, Veolia

Scottish Water issue Seafield update following massive spike in odour complaints

18th June 2020

All this week we have received a massive number of complaints of foul odour emissions in the Leith area, believed to be from Seafield. Over 150 complaints have been recorded on our website and notified to Scottish Water, City of Edinburgh Council officers, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Veolia UK, Ben MacPhersons MSP, Roseanna Cunningham MSP and Councillors Booth, McVey & Munro for their attention & action.

A Scottish Water spokesperson has today published an update on Seafield.

Strangely, the public statement distances Seafield from the burning rubber / gas / sulphur type smell. Instead insisting that those odours are related to another (as yet unnamed) site in Leith, as confirmed by City of Edinburgh Council. However, at this stage the Community Council has not received any such confirmation of this from any body independent of Scottish Water / Veolia.

What’s even more strange is that the spokesman fails to address or even mention the foul odour of human sewage which has been sweeping across large swathes of our community.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said;

Following on from our community notification issued on Monday, we wanted to provide you with an update.

The storm tank cleaning that was scheduled for Wednesday 17th – 18th June was completed on schedule.

We are aware of a significant increase of odour complaints over the past few days, a number of which have detailed a burning rubber, sulphur and gas type smell. As these type of odours do not necessarily correlate with the type of odour that is associated with wastewater treatment, we carried out an investigation of the whole site including the sludge processes and the surrounding area which identified a moderate to strong odour being generated at an industrial site near the docks, and is unrelated to Seafield wastewater operations.

This was confirmed by Environmental Health officials at City of Edinburgh Council and is currently being investigated by SEPA.

Looking ahead, there is some work required to the Intermediate Pumping Station. Any potential odours associated with this task have been assessed as low. This work will commence on Friday and should be completed same day. This is essential planned maintenance to limit the amount of grit that can pass through into the treatment process which can cause significant issues to site operations.

We will provide an update once this work is complete

I would be grateful if elected members and the Community Council could help and share this message on their Social Media channels.

Note: A copy of this communication will be posted on our website – https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/seafield

2020, City of Edinburgh Council, June, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Scottish Water, Seafield Sewage Works, Veolia

Massive spike in complaints amidst ongoing foul odour emissions from Seafield

18th June 2020

As of lunchtime today, our Community Council has received 102 reports of foul odour emissions from Seafield this week, submitted by 92 members of our community.

We have now received 492 reports since our first one at 16:08 on 24 April 2019.

We felt it was really important to let you all know that Leith Links Community Councillor Chairman Jim Scanlon & fellow Community Councillor Eileen Simpson are following up these reports with the authorities with our usual vigour & determination.

Our community has received many apologies for the impact of foul odour emissions from Seafield. most recently on 3 June 2020. Despite, the numerous apologies over recent years foul odours have continued to negatively impact upon the quality of life for many of those in our community.

On 15 June 2020 Scottish Water put our community on notice that there could be an increase in foul odour emissions starting from 17 June 2020 (we blogged about it here) but actually, foul odours have massively increased since 15 June 2020.

Scottish Water put community on notice for possible increase in foul odour emissions

15th June 2020

Scottish Water have today let the Community Council know about planned works this week which could result in an increase in foul odour emissions from their site.

Scottish Water spokesperson Natalie Walker (Corporate Affairs) said today;

As part of our commitment to keep the community informed I want to make you aware of a planned maintenance activity this week at Seafield.

Site operators Veolia will start storm tank cleaning on Wednesday (17/06/2020) with work due to finish the following day. The tanks are being cleaned at the first available opportunity which follows a reduction in flows since recent rainfall in the catchment.

Every effort will be made to complete this work as quickly as possible and to minimise odour – with odour reducing additives being deployed as necessary.

I would be grateful if elected members and the Community Council could help and share this message locally to help us ensure as wide a reach as possible.

An update will be provided upon completion of the works

» Read more

2020, June, Scottish Water, Seafield Sewage Works, Veolia

Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary responds to foul odour emission complaints

10th June 2020

Due to ongoing foul odour emissions from Seafield our local MSP Ben MacPherson wrote to the Scottish Governments Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.

The Scottish Governments response has now been shared with Leith Links Community Council and we are sharing it here so that our community to read the Cabinet Secretarys views regarding the ongoing foul odour emissions.

Scottish Water respond to complaints of excessive noise from Seafield

7th June 2020

Odour is by far the biggest nuisance from Seafield which negatively impacts on the quality of life for many local residents however, it is often the case that excessive noise from the site is also problematic.

A recent spike in noise complaints has resulted in one of Scottish Waters Dundee based spokespeople contacting the Community Council to explain the noise. Notably, their explanation does not include an apology, as is often the case when they respond to odour complaints. Their email is copied below;

» Read more

2020, June, Scottish Water, Seafield Sewage Works

Scottish Water notifies community of increased risk of foul odour emissions

5th June 2020

Many members of our community have had their quality of life negatively impacted during a recent spike in foul odour emissions from Seafield, for which one of Scottish Waters Dundee based managers issued an apology to our community.

However, Leithers have today been given notice by Scottish Water that there may be a further increase in foul odour emissions from the site with measures being put into place to help mitigate the increased odours. In a statement published today, and also emailed to Leith Links Community Council, Scottish Water said:

As part of our commitment to keep the community updated, we would like to advise that there are no planned maintenance activities taking place at Seafield WwTW this weekend.

However, following the recent extended dry spell, we have started to see some heavy rainfall with more forecast over the next couple of days. The change in weather means that solids that have accumulated in the network are now arriving at Seafield. This has entered the treatment process.

The wind is forecast to remain onshore for the majority of the weekend which raises the odour risk for the community.

In order to mitigate against elevated odours, the sludge that is arriving is being dosed to remove some of the compounds which cause odour. With no planned maintenance, all processing equipment and streams are fully operational which will allow for maximum processing throughout today and over the weekend.

While also campaigning for long term solutions, it is vitally important that we keep reporting odour nuisance whenever it occurs, to demonstrate the scale of the problem and the impact on the local community.

2020, June, Scottish Water, Seafield Sewage Works

Scottish Water issue [another] apology for ongoing Seafield stench

3rd June 2020

Towards the end of last week our Community Council received many reports of foul odour emissions affecting residents quality of life, not just in the Leith Links are but also as far afield as Easter Road stadium and Pilrig. We posted an article about this on our website – Leithers despair as Seafield stench continues.

Over the weekend, in response to these complaints, and upon being challenged by Leith Links Community Council, Scottish Water have issued an apology to our community. In an email to Community Council Chairperson Jim Scanlon on Sunday Scottish Waters PFI Performance Manager (based in Dundee) said –

I apologise to the community for us not being able to counteract the odours witnessed in recent days.

Commenting on the latest apology, Secretary of Leith Links Community Council Sally Millar said;

Community Councillor Sally Millar

The local community in the Leith Links area is frustrated, angry and sick –yes, literally, the smell makes people feel sick – of the disgusting odours of sewage emanating from the Seafield sewage plant. There has been a massive spike in complaints in the past two weeks. The weather is hot; we need to open our windows. Due to Covid19 lockdown rules, we are only allowed to go outside to exercise, play or relax near our own homes. Yet our entire area has been suffused with the foul smell of human excrement, for days on end.

These smells have been with us for decades, but none of the agents involved – the City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Water and Veolia and SEPA – seem to be able or willing to deal with this problem effectively. We are told that lots of rain causes the smells. Then we are told that lack of rain causes the smells. We are told that the wind causes the smell problem. Do they take us for idiots?

We have recently received yet another apology from Scottish Water for “not being able to counteract the odours witnessed in recent days”. But this is simply the latest in a very long line of similar apologies (a cut and paste job?). It is an insult to the local community. What we need is action and results, not continual apologies.

» Read more

2020, June, Scottish Water, Seafield Sewage Works

Leithers in despair as Seafield stench continues

30th May 2020

As of 7pm this evening Leith Links Community Council has received eleven reports of foul odours from Seafield. Today is the fourth day in a row that we have received odour complaints, with 29 being submitted to us since Wednesday. Complaints have been submited by residents from the Leith Links area extending as far as Easter Road stadium & Pilrig.

Leith Links Community Council established its online reporting tool due to frustrations felt within our community around existing reporting mechanisms. The online reporting tool allows members of our community to fill in one web form which is automatically submitted to Leith Links Community Council and a number interested parties & organisations;

City of Edinburgh Council – Environmental Assessment
City of Edinburgh Council – Councillors Booth, McVey and Munro
Scottish Parliament – Ben MacPherson MSP
Scottish Government – Roseanna Cunningham MSP (Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform)
Scottish Water
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
Veolia

Community Councillor Eileen Simpson, who leads on Seafield related matters alongside Community Councillor Jim Scanlon, continues to press the authorities for action to reduce foul odour emissions. She said today;

This spring, as every year, Seafield Sewage Treatment Works have exposed local Leithers to a series of appalling odour leaks.

Community Councillor Eileen Simpson

But this year it feels much worse, because our time out in the open air is so precious. And as we venture out for our walk, jog or cycle, our lungs are regularly assaulted by the appalling sewage stench we’ve come to know only too well.

The stench from Seafield has been sickening over the last few days. Lockdown is depressing for all, and our daily time in the fresh air is precious, especially in such beautiful weather. It’s dreadful that we are forced inside by this sickening smell. It damages our physical and mental health. Veolia don’t seem to care.

» Read more

2020, May, Seafield Sewage Works

Scottish Water notify community of works which may generate odour

22nd April 2020

Update: At 11:54 on Friday 24/4/20 Scottish Water informed Leith Links Community Council that the planned works have now been completed.

Scottish Water have today given our community notice of their intention to carry out cleaning works at Seafield on Thursday 22 April 2020. The planned works have the potential to cause nuisance & intrusive odours to affect air quality in our community.

The advance warning has been given following the recent apology issued to our community by Scottish Water & Veolia following a spike in complaints of odour nuisances from local residents.

Bill Elliot, Scottish Waters Stakeholder Development Manager (Scotland) today released the following email:

At the end of March I updated you on tank cleaning activities at Seafield. Work within the storm tanks was called to a halt after two of the four tanks had been drained and cleaned. The residual material was left insitu and covered with treated final effluent. Following a reassessment of the plant operating conditions and associated mitigation measures, the storm tank cleaning will recommence on Thursday 23rd April. Every effort will be made to complete this work as quickly as possible and to minimise odour, with odour reducing additives being deployed as necessary.

I would be grateful if elected members and the Community Council could help and share this message locally so that we can ensure as wide a reach as possible.Note: A copy of this communication can also be found on our website – https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/seafield

2020, April, Scottish Water, Seafield Sewage Works

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