Sherford Consortium cleared of responsibility for Plympton odour issues

Independent testing has indicated that odour mitigation works conducted by the Sherford Consortium have been successful in addressing the ‘Plympton Pong’ issue. The works, completed in July, targeted the wastewater system in the new town of Sherford, where wastewater is pumped to the Marsh Mills sewage treatment works operated by South West Water.

To alleviate the smell, the consortium modified the pumping station by reducing the number of active pumps from three to two and converting the dual rising main into a single pipe. These changes, combined with chemical solution dosing, were intended to increase the speed of wastewater movement and neutralise odours.

While some residents continue to report issues, the Sherford Consortium stated that the report confirms the changes are performing as intended and demonstrates that the Sherford development is not contributing to the ongoing odour problems in the Plympton area. The pumping station remains under 24-hour monitoring by a specialist contractor until South West Water assumes responsibility.