Natural deodorant tried to reduce sewage stink

The Town of Stratford, P.E.I., is hoping a new natural product will help quell the infamous Stratford stink.

Town officials are trying to get ahead of complaints about the stench from the sewage lagoon near the Hillsborough Bridge.

Sucking the sludge out of the cell in the lagoon that caused the problem last year is one solution, but that can't be done during spring shellfishing season.

So the town has found something it hopes will soak up the stink.

"If there was a slight odour, then we have identified this natural product that we can use in the system that will absorb the odour and minimize the odour," said Mayor David Dunphy.

The town is also implementing other recommendations from an independent consultant and tweaking the Blue Frog system that stirs the lagoon.

There are also two long-term options to replace the lagoon system, and the town is studying the costs for each.

"Number one is to pipe the sewer to the Charlottetown waste water treatment plant, and then of course they will upgrade their plant to handle the additional capacity," explained Dunphy. "And then basically we become a customer of theirs. Failing that, we would put in a mixed membrane system which is similar to what Charlottetown has on the current site tha twe have in Stratford."

Stratford cautions each option would take a least two years to complete once a final decision has been made, and it would need to find outside funding for either project.

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