If you’ve noticed that the sewers in your neighborhood have gone from particularly smelly to an almost sweet scent, you’re not alone.
In Kansas City’s combined sewer system, sewage and runoff flow together. In times of high heat with little rain, the sewage doesn’t flow well and begins to stink. For about 25 years, the city has been using “Sewer Block” to mask the stench that wafts up from the sewers.
City Manager Brian Platt says that while the city has been using the blocks for decades, residents may have only just now noticed the pleasant smell because workers are now placing them in targeted areas where the city’s received complaints.
The round blocks come in a mesh bag containing a literal block with a chemical inside that reduces mold, mildew and insects while breaking down some odors with a perfume-like smell. Like Febreze — but for sewers.
“We're being a little bit more thoughtful and targeted with some of the things that we've got ... to make sure that we're using them appropriately,” Platt said. “One other big reason why things probably smell better is because we're doing a lot more preventative maintenance and using more data to understand exactly where the issues are in our sewers and our water systems.”
In April of last year, voters approved a $750 million sewer bond that helps maintain, repair and upgrade the city’s sewer system. Those improvements will also help target stagnant sewage and eliminate the bad smells in the long term. Part of the bond money will also be used to help improve the city’s waterways and get the city’s sewer system to meet federal and state regulations that lower the pollution in waterways.
“It's mostly the residential and business connections that feed into the sewer that create a lot of those issues,” Platt said. “However, our waterways are a big part of the odor.”
In the meantime, the city is adding odor blockers to the sewers based on 311 complaints. The blocks are hung from the top of the sewer by the mesh bag. They dissolve over time and are replaced after a month or two.
You can submit a 311 complaint about the sewer or storm water through the myKCMO app or by calling to report an issue at 311 or (816) 513-1313.
