TRIAL PROJECT TO INVESTIGATE ELWOOD CANAL ODOUR
16 March 2005
Melbourne Water and the City of Port Phillip have joined forces to investigate the sources of odour from the Elwood Canal.
The project will begin this week with a trial to remove silt from a section of the Elwood Canal as part of a number of management options being investigated to reduce odours from the canal.
The work on Elwood Canal, between Shelley Street and Glen Huntly Road, is part of a joint program with the City of Port Phillip to improve the canal and the surrounding land.
Silt is washed into the canal from stormwater run-off that contains material like road dust, grass cuttings and leaves. This silt settles in the canal and, because of the tidal influences on the canal, it is exposed to air daily. This may be one of the causes of the odour.
Melbourne Water Managing Director, Rob Skinner, said the silt would be stockpiled nearby to dry out prior to it being removed for appropriate disposal.
“The section where the trial will be undertaken is just within the upstream tidal reaches of the canal. This section is easy to access and will minimise disruption to local residents,” Mr Skinner said.
Cr Janet Cribbes, Ormond Ward Councillor and Elwood resident said that local residents were very concerned about the canal’s odour and amenity.
“Anything that Melbourne Water does to address the odour will be welcomed by residents and the council.
“We’ll be waiting with bated breath to smell the results of the first stage of the silt removal,” she said.
The trial will commence this week and will take around six weeks. Because the Elwood Canal is tidal, work to remove the silt will have to be restricted to limited times each day. The excavation of the silt may produce some odour.