Records show bad odor in Mount Dora neighborhood linked to treatment plant
The community of Mount Dora is getting a better idea of what’s behind the awful smell that they have been complaining about for years.
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Earlier this week, the city blamed a private landfill and recycling business for the smell.
Channel 9 learned that the state believes a city facility is also part of the problem.
Records from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection show an odor has been coming from the landfill the city mentioned.
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However, the records also show that the city was given notice about a month ago that a collection system for this wastewater reclamation plant was also causing the smell of sewage.
In the Sullivan Ranch community, residents said there is something in the air.
“We don’t know where exactly it’s coming from. All we know is that we don’t know what we’re breathing in,” said resident Meisha Santagata.
Santagata described the smell as a foul, sewage-like smell that residents have been dealing with for years that has only gotten worse in recent months.
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The city of Mount Dora pointed the finger at the nearby private landfill run by Mid Florida Materials.
The city even sent the following statement from the mayor:
“The city of Mount Dora is working with the owner of the landfill to mitigate the smell, however only the FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) would be able to take further action.”
FDEP records show it recently sent that facility a “warning letter” about odors and that the facility was “attempting to cover the odor sources.”
But the records also show this city-owned wastewater reclamation facility could be to blame as well.
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The city of Mount Dora received a “compliance assistance offer” letter on Sept. 15 related to a sewer collection system in Sullivan Ranch for the city facility. The letter said it was releasing sewer odors into the neighborhood.
The city was given 30 days to respond in writing about how it’s being addressed or to arrange for a case manager to visit the facility.
People who live in the area are left wondering if the smell will ever really go away.
FDEP records show there was a complaint filed here filed about a “rotten” odor as far back as 2011.
At the time, the city said it had nothing going on that would cause abnormal odor, and the complaint was closed.
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