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The town’s school district reported “several students and staff experiencing nausea and headaches,” and at least one family moved to a hotel.
A New Hampshire town is experiencing strong odors from a wastewater treatment facility, causing closures at the local middle and high schools.
Over two weeks ago, aeration equipment at Newport’s Wastewater Treatment Facility malfunctioned, causing septic waste and “unpleasant odors,” the Town of Newport posted on Facebook.
“Our staff has been working hard to secure replacement equipment and repair the aeration system,” the statement said. “As of Sunday, the system is now operating part-time, and air is being reintroduced into the treatment process.”
Nikki Murphy, who lives with her husband and children in a neighborhood close to the plant, said she and her family relocated to a nearby hotel to get away from the smell.
“It was very mild at first, then it just started getting stronger and stronger,” Murphy told WMUR. “It’s stuck inside my house and we can’t sleep, can’t do anything. Just stepping outside makes you gag.”
The town says it plans to run the aeration equipment full-time soon, which will allow the smell to gradually subside, but warned that it may take some time for the system to “fully stabilize and return to normal.”
The stench affected the town’s middle and high school, which reported “several students and staff experiencing nausea and headaches,” the school district said in a statement.
The district announced that the middle and high schools were closed on Thursday to “allow for a full assessment and ensure the building is completely safe for our staff and students.”
The school district confirmed with local health officials that the odor is not harmful, and as of Thursday, said the smell around the school had “dissipated, with only faint traces in a few areas.”
The town said it is working to secure spare replacement parts to prevent downtime at the facility as a result of future equipment failures, but existing equipment is “obsolete,” making it difficult to find the replacement parts needed.
“Renting and installing back-up equipment will also take time but it is anticipated that current operations will continue to run while back-up equipment is secured and installed,” the town’s statement said. “Public Works appreciates the community’s patience while we work through these operational issues and it is anticipated that odors will subside in the near future.”
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