Haines City homeowners deal with sewage smell as growing population overwhelms wastewater lift station

HAINES CITY, Fla. - Homeowners in several Haines City neighborhoods have become accustomed to the unpleasant smell of sewage. It turns out the odor is coming from a nearby wastewater lift station.

Local perspective:

"How would you feel if this was next to your house?"

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Every time Steven Dillard walks by the lift station at the corner of 10th Street and Patterson Road, he covers his nose.

"It's a wastewater treatment sewage area," said Dillard. "I can't say it, but you know the four-letter word."

He moved into the neighborhood seven years ago and says it smelled bad back then too, but recently, it has become worse.

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"It's just one more inconvenience of life," said Dillard. "The area is growing. You have traffic. Then you want to walk your dog, or if the wind's blowing in a particular direction on top of all the traffic and chaos, now you gotta worry about poop."

The other side:

A city spokesperson said rapid population growth has put a significant strain on the lift station. It was built in 2017 when the population was around 23,000. Today, that population has doubled to more than 44,000.

Deputy City Manager James Keene said in a statement, "We are currently installing a magnesia drip system upstream of the station to reduce H₂S gases. This project will also include a new gravity line and manhole for the station."

Dillard understands the city is doing the best it can; odor blocks were even installed. He just wishes there was a better solution, such as a non-toxic chemical or enclosure that could mask some of the smell.

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"Take people into consideration," said Dillard. "Plan for the future and try to handle problems before they arise. Be more aggressive with treatment."

What's next:

The Deputy City Manager added in his statement that, "The utility department takes all concerns very seriously and will continue to seek the most effective and beneficial solutions to correct the situation."