Disgusting smell over Tameside investigated by council

A strong smell that has been spreading across Dukinfield and Tameside over the last couple of weeks might have been traced.

It's thought to be coming from the Wastewater Treatment Works on Ashton Street.

The council say that they’ve received numerous reports from residents in Audenshaw, Denton and Dukinfield. Those who have registered complaints have been sent letters and diary sheets to document but only one household has returned any information.

Officers visited the site on Tuesday 18 August during the day and the evening and recorded the odour as being “particularly strong” at 10pm. In an email they said that the smell is at its worst around 9pm in the evening, when the weather is warm and with little or no breeze. 

A meeting has been arranged with United Utilities to discuss the matter and to try and identify any changes in operation that could have led to the odours occurring.

Councillor John Taylor told the Reporter: “The Environment Services Department have spoken to United Utilities.

“They’ve changed the system. It’s been doing it since I was a kid.

“We’ve had some warm weather then some windy weather and it’s blown it all over Dukinfield and Tameside instead of keeping it in.”

Anyone who has been affected by the smell is encouraged to get in touch with the council.

Writing on his Facebook page Denton MP Andrew said that his office had received a lot of complaints across Audenshaw, Denton and Dukinfield and confirmed that he too could smell it close to his home.

He said: “Despite United Utilities being adamant it wasn’t coming from their two Waste Treatment plants in Dukinfield, last Monday I went to explore through Jet Amber Fields. The smell certainly got stronger the closer to both the pumping station (at Broomstair Road, Audenshaw) and towards the sewage works over the River Tame.”

Both he and councillor Allison Gwynne reported the smell to Tameside’s Environmental Health Department.