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Something smelly may be in the air!

AFTER a period of relative quiet, sewage smells could be wafting across the area in the coming days.

Thames Water, which operates the Crossness sewage sludge incinerator in Belvedere Road, Abbey Wood, has closed the two incinerator streams for essential maintenance.

The shutdown began on May 6 and will last for 16 days.

As part of this work all sludge incineration at the plant will stop for seven days.

This will mean sewage coming into Crossness from across London will have to be moved off the site in lorries.

Other emergency work will also have to be done, which will mean another two-day shutdown, when the sewage will be held in covered storage tanks.

The company said: "This has been done before with no significant impact on odour."

But it admits: "Should the weather be hot at any time, the odour impact is likely to be greater."

Residents across Bexley, and especially in Belvedere, have been plagued with smells from the site for years.

This problem was at its worst in 2003 and 2004, when large amounts of sewage was stored on-site.

The plant's incinerators could not cope with the sludge because it was "too wet".

Sewage had to be taken from the site in covered lorries and the smell was so overpowering, Bexley Council took the company to court.

Thames Water agreed to make improvements to the site and the stench has largely disappeared Belvedere councillor David Leaf, who has been in contact with the company, said: "As the weather is getting warmer, even a slight increase in odour can cause misery to many residents."

He added: "It's important efforts are made to ensure residents don't have their summer ruined by the stench from Crossness."

Thames Water says it will try to minimise the impact on residents of any smells coming from the site while the work is done.

It has also applied for planning permission to install permanent equipment for cleaning the plant's storm tanks, which should help reduce sewage smells.

However, there could be a stink when the cleaning takes place and the company is in talks with the environmental health department to see how this can be minimised.

11:29am Thursday 15th May 2008

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Posted by: Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott on 12:04pm Thu 15 May 08
Belvedere, Abbey Wood and Erith have always been smelly, though not as stinky as Swanley or Dartford .

Everyone knows that.

Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott
Posted by: Fed up, With Piggott on 1:41pm Thu 15 May 08
Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott wrote:
Belvedere, Abbey Wood and Erith have always been smelly, though not as stinky as Swanley or Dartford . Everyone knows that. Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott
The smell comes from your mouth Piggott. You talk so much cr*p that you must smell of it!
Posted by: pumpkinpie, Welling on 1:42pm Thu 15 May 08
My sister lives in Belvedere, and the stench that comes from the plant is horrible. They really need to make improvements to it she can't have her windows or doors open in hot weather it i that bad!
Posted by: Pink Kitten, London on 1:49pm Thu 15 May 08
Imagine a nice hot weekend, inviting family and friends for a BBQ in the garden. Everyone sitting around eating and all you can smell are the turds from the local residents, nice!
Posted by: mwah, Dartford on 2:54pm Thu 15 May 08
LMAO @ Pink. Lord i live in Dartford if u not mind..
Posted by: adam, bexleyheath on 3:08pm Thu 15 May 08
Your right theres something smelly in the air, my mum Susan York has just spent the last 2 hours on the toilet and the smelly has left me feeling rather queasy. Does anyone have a gas mask I could borrow?
Posted by: Sunny, London on 4:03pm Thu 15 May 08
Fed up, I think the smell must be the new aftershave you bought thinking it would turn a few ladies heads. Yes, the other way!!!
Posted by: Fed Up, London on 8:17pm Thu 15 May 08
Sunny wrote:
Fed up, I think the smell must be the new aftershave you bought thinking it would turn a few ladies heads. Yes, the other way!!!
Got you looking my way though!

You in love with Piggott?
Posted by: phil, barnehurst on 12:49am Fri 16 May 08
Adam don't diss you mum,it the bloody councils fault sunshine!Their attitude stinks
Posted by: vern, West Wickham on 7:52am Fri 16 May 08
That Woman "Maxine" from Greenwich has apparantly blocked her bog with a huge Henry IIIrd. The entire council block has been evacuated while the Human Bomb Suuad attend and make safe .
Posted by: Terry, dartford on 8:40am Fri 16 May 08
The smells are disgusting and have been around for years! This plant, as far as I am aware takes sewage from not just the local area, but from all of London on the south side of the River! So Bexley are getting everyone else’s turds!! In modern design I see no reason why they cannot eliminate these smells, to install permanent equipment now! Horse and bolting the stable door comes to mind!
Posted by: Sunny, London on 11:03am Fri 16 May 08
Don't flatter yourself Fed Up. I was just reading the blog and saw your stupid comment.

WE ALL LOVE ERASTUS
Posted by: Joanna, London on 11:07am Fri 16 May 08
WE ALL LOVE ERASTUS, YER, YER, YER!!
Give it time 'fed up' and you may too and stop being fed up.
Posted by: Pink Kitten, London on 11:15am Fri 16 May 08
Everybody I have located the problem of the smell in this area.

It is not the sewage works as quoted earlier.

No indeed the cause has been now been identified.

It is in fact Fed Up from London's breath!
The reason for this is because he will insist on talking outta his **** i'm afraid!
Posted by: Sunny, London on 11:37am Fri 16 May 08
Tic tac???
Posted by: GEMMA, Belvedere on 12:43pm Fri 16 May 08
Fed up wrote:
Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott wrote: Belvedere, Abbey Wood and Erith have always been smelly, though not as stinky as Swanley or Dartford . Everyone knows that. Your Lord, Erastus Theobald Piggott
The smell comes from your mouth Piggott. You talk so much cr*p that you must smell of it!
Lord Erastus is right! They are smelly! Fed up needs to develop a sense of humour!
Posted by: Pink Kitten, London on 12:57pm Fri 16 May 08
Gemma

Is it me or do these people seem to have had a sense of humour by pass????

Posted by: adam, bexleyheath on 2:28pm Fri 16 May 08
WATCH OUT ABBEY WOOD! SUSAN YORK HAS BEEN ON THE CURRYS AGAIN!
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