Bad smell to hang around 'Pong-anui'

Wanganui's Mayor insists everything possible is being done to fix the city's stinking sewage plant.

Annette Main says the plant has been suffering problems caused by a sludge build up, which were being dealt with.

But two weeks before Christmas, five times as much industrial waste as usual was dumped over two days.

She says it was of a nature which caused a sulphurous smell.

Annette Main says since then every resource possible has been poured into the issue, and staff have been working 18-hour days over Christmas.

Meanwhile former Wanganui mayor Michael Laws believes the real problem is because the city council before his, used an untried and untested design for the plant.

Mr Laws has renamed the city 'Pong-anui' and believes those affected should receive compensation - and says reducing their rates would be a good place to start.