What’s the problem?

There is an offensive odor that frequently emanates from the wastewater treatment plant on Cumberland Road. It is a public nuisance that is frequently noticed when driving, biking, walking, or running by the plant. The smell affects nearby residential and recreational areas and has had a negative impact on property values, which over time could have a negative impact on the surrounding residential developments.

What’s the solution?

We have had a very professional and cordial dialogue with the city about the necessity for improvements. They have graciously provided us with sufficient information about the function and history of the South Tyler Wastewater Treatment Plant (STWWTP). We have jointly worked with an outside engineering firm out of Arlington, TX to determine a solution to the odor issue. The firm has successfully addressed these very same issues in other parts of the state and country. During the course of their engagement, the City made improvements to the STWWTP in 2021 which increases the functionality of the plant, but also increases the odor issues and the cost of the odor control project. The engineers recommend that a Vapor Phase Odor Control be added to the headworks (source of the odor for the past 20 years) and primary clarifier (improvement added in 2021) areas. Essentially, Vapor Phase Odor Control is an enclosure around certain areas of the plant that generate odor. The trapped air is cleaned before being released.

Why is this important?

Tyler is a great city and it has so much to offer, but it also needs to adapt in order to be a preferred destination for an upcoming skilled workforce and for new businesses. An unaddressed odor issue within two miles of some of the highest value homes in town, the highest value retail real estate, the most frequently visited city park, and the new police and fire stations is unacceptable and is just inconsistent with the goals of the community.

What’s the cost?

The cost is estimated to be $4.5 million after accounting for the additional odor control required due to the 2021 improvements (this more than tripled the cost). This estimate does not include offsets for increased tax revenue due to increased property values and reduced odor reduction chemical costs, which were approximately $100,000 in 2020 and are estimated (by the engineering firm) to increase to be as much as $250,000 annually after the 2021 improvements were completed.

Why do you think that the Vapor Phase Odor Control improvement will work?

Currently, chemical treatments are applied to reduce the odor. Chemicals have varying degrees of effectiveness and are dependent on several factors which makes for inconsistent results. The engineers have implemented the Vapor Phase Odor Control in other cities, such as Garland, TX, Lewisville, TX and Raleigh, NC that have had similar, if not identical, odor problems. These cities had a similar situation where the plant was originally located in a remote location and then over time the populated areas grew close to it. These improvements have resulted in more effective and consistent results than what can be attained with chemical treatments. 

What needs to be done to bring fresh air to this area?

For there to be meaningful progress, the City needs to know that this odor problem is important enough to warrant the expenditure of funds required to complete the improvements. To accomplish this, we will need to involve the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Each complaint issued to the TCEQ is further evidence that this is an important issue to the citizenry. Your voice matters. Your neighbors’ voices matter. More voices, more impact. Less voices, less impact. Be a part of the solution and take the two minutes to register your complaint with the TCEQ via the online complaint form here or call them at 1-888-777-3186.

What makes you think that the TCEQ will help?

In short, it’s their job to address issues like this. The TCEQ is the environmental agency for the state of Texas. The TCEQ’s goal is clean air, clean water, and the safe management of waste. Within TCEQ rules and ordinances, Rule 30TAC101.4 states that, “No person shall discharge from any source whatsoever one or more air contaminants or combinations thereof, in such concentration and of such duration as are or may tend to be injurious to or to adversely affect human health or welfare, animal life, vegetation, or property, or as to interfere with the normal use and enjoyment of animal life, vegetation, or property.”

I understand that the TCEQ has a rule that another person cannot release air contaminants that negatively affect my enjoyment of my property, but is there some sort of quantifiable measurement of the odor?

The odor is actually hydrogen sulfide that is being released into the air from the STWWTP. TCEQ Rule 30TAC112.31 states that “No person may cause, suffer, allow, or permit emissions of hydrogen sulfide from a source or sources operated on a property or multiple sources operated on contiguous properties to exceed a net ground level concentration of 0.08 ppm [80 ppb] averaged over any 30-minute period if the downwind concentration of hydrogen sulfide affects a property used for residential, business, or commercial purposes.”

The engineering firm measured the odor and most days the hydrogen sulfide levels exceeded 80 ppb at some point in the day. The TCEQ conducted tests in December of 2021 and did not report findings exceeding 80 ppb. The variables affecting the odor (temperature, humidity, wind direction, time of the day, extra odor-reducing chemicals added, etc.) can vary on a day-to-day basis, thus the measurements can be quite deceiving. If you have spent the time to research this issue, you most likely know the obvious…it stinks and you do not need a number to tell you that. It is important that you contact the TCEQ and let them know how this affects you.

What would the TCEQ do if they heard enough complaints about the odor?

They would conduct an investigation that would evaluate four primary characteristics of odors: frequency, intensity, duration, and offensiveness. If their findings warranted changes to the plant, they would then contact the City to initiate changes.

Why make these improvements if there are plans to relocate the plant?

The City purchased land south of town to be the future home of the wastewater treatment plant. It will take approximately 8 years to get the new plant up and running once the City decides to move forward. There is enough current capacity to make the new plant unnecessary for several years. Current estimates are that this project is 15-20 years away from completion and the cost (in today’s dollars) is approximately $300 million. As you can see, this is an extremely expensive project that is many years away.

I thought the City was already making several improvements that are supposed to modernize the wastewater system and correct everything that is wrong?

Since 2016, the City has invested more than $68.2 million in water and sewer systems, with multiple improvements made to the water treatment plants, water lines, sewer lines and manholes (per the city website). In 2017, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the City’s wastewater system had significant flaws and ordered mandatory improvements to correct those deficiencies over a 10-year period. The EPA’s order is referred to as the Consent Decree of 2017. The cost of these improvements alone was estimated to be $28.5 million. While the odor issue was not addressed as part of the mandatory wastewater system improvements, it is clear that this is another overdue improvement that needs to be made. Most of these improvements are unseen. That does not make them unimportant, but it does make them less noticeable to the average citizen. The proposed odor reduction capital improvement is a very noticeable improvement that will be applauded by those who have experienced this offensive odor.

I have not smelled the odor lately. Does that mean that the odor issue has been resolved? 

No, it does not mean that it has been resolved. The smell is not evident at all times and that is due to various reasons (temperature, wind direction, time of the day, extra odor-reducing chemicals added, etc). 

I live in one of the communities adjacent to Jack Elementary and the odor is very strong in our area. The smell is stronger in my area than it is in some of the areas closer to the treatment plant. Why is that?

If you live south of Cumberland Road in the area close to Neighbors Road, you are most likely smelling the Liberty Utilities (Tall Timbers Sewer) Corp sewer plant which is located east of Neighbors Road and close to Loop 49. The process for bringing fresh air to your community is the same process as has been laid out on this site. Contact the TCEQ and provide them with your thoughts and encourage anyone else who has been impacted to call the TCEQ, as well.