COUNCILLOR Sam Pearce-Kearney says 'significant progress' has been made in identifying the source of the nasty whiff which has been plaguing Calne since the end of February.
The smell has been described as 'eggy', 'gassy' 'stagnant' and 'sulphurous' - often lingering over the town in the early hours of the morning.
Cllr Sam Pearce-Kearney has been hot on the trail of the source since it was originally mentioned. He has received over 75 emails in just the past 36 hours from residents reporting instances of the whiff - demonstrating the widespread impact of the issue.
With many convinced the smell is coming from the nearby landfill site at Compton Bassett, other residents say they have noticed the odour is particularly pungent in the centre of town.
One resident told us: "The smell is definitely strongest in Station Road, I walk that way every morning and it is very noticeably stronger there."
Another told us: "It is a gassy smell, I live in Castle Street and have noticed it in and outside my house."
Resident Emma Ashley said: "I have noticed it is really strong when I am waiting at the bus stop in The Strand, not as bad at the end of the day, but strong in the morning, can make my eyes water!"
And a homeowner in Stokes Croft told us: "We have noticed that it is really bad at about 5am."
Wessex Water has investigated potential issues with its sewerage assets but found no problems. "We've carried out odour assessments at our sewerage assets, which are operating normally, and offered to meet with representatives of Wiltshire Council to help with their investigations," a spokesperson said.
The Environment Agency is working with Wiltshire Council to identify the source of the smell. "We are visiting sites we regulate to ensure that they are compliant with their permits," an agency spokesperson explained.
Sam has assured residents that significant progress is being made in identifying the source of the odour. "We are making significant progress, and I anticipate that we will issue a statement soon," he said.
Residents are encouraged to continue reporting any further observations, providing details on the frequency, intensity, duration, offensiveness, and location of the smell. The Environment Agency's 24-hour hotline for reporting environmental incidents is available at 0800 807060.
As the investigation continues, Cllr Pearce-Kearney thanked residents for their patience and support. "Next up will be solving it," he said.
Photo credit SPK
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