Discharging untreated wastewater into the sea is "not an option" for the Wanganui District Council, says Mayor Annette Main.
She was responding yesterday to comments made by retired engineer Colin Hovey.
Since December, Wanganui's wastewater treatment plant has been overloaded with trade waste - protein and hydrogen sulphide - that has left a stench hanging over parts of the city.
Mr Hovey, who helped design the beleaguered wastewater treatment plant, said excess waste should be put straight out to sea while issues with the overloaded plant were being rectified.
But Ms Main said disposing of untreated waste to the sea would potentially cause further problems.