Sewage lift station can produce hydrogen sulfide odors if the sewage sits in the lift station for too long. These odors are extremely unpleasant and a source of complaints and occasional law suits from people living nearby the facilities.
Key Biscayne is one such city that has experienced this type of problem, but it is actually a common issue with these systems. In Key Biscayne’s case, one resident has sued the village for health problems related to the odors coming from the lift station.
When the Key Biscayne Sewer and Water Project began in 2007, the village hired an engineer to build the pump station, but the county’s water and sewer department operates the system. However, the county said the odors are not its problem. This summer, after receiving several complaints from neighbors, the Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management served the village with a notice of violation and asked the village to take action and solve the problem.
The installation of a filtration device and an ozone generator have helped stabilize the levels of hydrogen sulfide, which Kendra Goff of the Florida Department of Health said should remain under control. Ozone has been effectively used in a wide variety of applications, especially those where hydrogen sulfide are involved, to treat odor problems. Ozone reacts to oxidize the hydrogen sulfide to non odorous compounds. The ozone itself reverts back to oxygen. the ozone can be generated on site from air, so no chemicals need to be purchased or stored on-site.