Pungent smell leads to complaints in Oakmont and Harmar Township
HARMAR TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - People who live in Oakmont and Harmar Township are complaining about a pungent smell in the area.
The smell has lingered, and some residents said they are concerned about their health.
"I've woken up in the middle of the night, and I literally thought my pet had defecated right next to me," Rick Villani said.
On any given day in Harmar Township, you may see residents holding their noses. That's because of a strong and pungent smell emanating from the Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority treatment facility.
"It lingers all the way to there, all the way down to Verona. And some days it's worse than others," Harmar Township resident Brandon Hawk said.
Hawk can see the facility from his house. He said in recent weeks, the smell has become unbearable. He can't sit outside or open his windows and has resorted to plug-in air fresheners throughout his house to mask the smell.
He is even contemplating moving if it does not get better.
"I don't want to pay more for rent. But a couple hundred dollars a month extra would be peace of mind," he said.
The plant is undergoing a multi-million dollar improvement project, including the part that would minimize the smell as wastewater solids are broken down into more practical things.
"When they decided to add on to this plant, they raised our sewage rates. And then not long after that, they raised the water rate. They raised our rates and yet we have to put up with the stink," Harmarr Township resident Robert Yohman said.
The facility's manager said on Tuesday that the project is expected to be completed by next summer, 16 months behind schedule.