“A thorough check of the area has been undertaken and we are confident the sewerage system is not the source of the smell residents are experiencing,” water services director, Brendan Guiney, said.

Investigations were carried out after an anonymous report was made to the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) that sewage was discharging in the area.

“We believe the smell is rotting vegetation, which is not unusual given the current low water levels in the wetlands, combined with low tides and hot weather,” Mr Guiney said.

When asked about claims made by a resident on Facebook that sewage had discharged into the wetland during the power outage in December, Mr Guiney said there was no evidence to support the claim and also outlined the council’s procedures when faced with substantial power outages.

“From time to time, there can be extended power blackouts where we cannot operate our pumps,” he said.

“In these events, council deploys diesel pumps, portable generators and tanker trucks to transport waste to the nearest sewage treatment plant safely.”

A spokesperson from the EPA supported Mr Guiney’s claims.

“There is no evidence to suggest the cause of the odour is sewage,” he said.

“The EPA and the council are working together effectively on the investigation.”

Complaints have also been raised by residents of Charlotte Bay regarding strong odours emanating from Wallis Lake, but council advised they have investigated their manholes and pumps in that location and again believe that the smells are being caused by rotting vegetation.  

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