Lexington is updating the odor control for its sanitary sewer system. Some steps have been taken to reduce odor from the sewer:
- Cleaning the odor control systems at both of the city’s wastewater treatment plants.
- Hiring an environmental firm to test the systems that are currently in place and recommend upgrades that will provide the best results on the quickest timeline.
The city is served by two wastewater treatment plants: Town Branch, located between Old Frankfort Pike and Leestown Road; and West Hickman, located in Jessamine County near the Fayette County line. These plants are fed by pump stations and sewer lines that transport wastewater from homes and businesses to one of the treatment plants.
Smoke testing
Smoke testing was performed earlier in the fall in the Meadowthorpe, Cumberland Hill and Pinnacle neighborhoods.
If a sewer pipe is cracked or broken, smoke will come up from the ground. This can help identify where odors are coming from.
Updates, fall 2024
Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Scrubber filters were serviced over the summer. They have been tested and meeting requirements.
West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Odor testing was conducted in early July to help inform long-term odor improvements.
- Rehabilitation of an underperforming odor control scrubber begna in Sept. 2024.
Pump stations and sewer lines
- Smoke testing in neighborhoods around both treatment plants was completed this fall.
- Alternative chemicals that may reduce odor are being tested.
- The city has secured a federal grant that will help pay for odor control improvements that will impact the new East Hickman force main currently under construction.