Doreen Sewer Odour Management Project

In June 2018 we completed works to reduce the likelihood of sewer odours occurring in parts of Doreen.

Some customers in the area had been experiencing issues with sewer odours, and Yarra Valley Water is committed to resolving these issues as a priority.

What was causing the odours?

Sewer odours can occur for a number of reasons.

Our investigations found that the odour being experienced in Doreen's Vaucluse Estate was occurring because the existing sewerage system didn’t have enough capacity to handle the amount of sewage flowing through it. As a result, the flows in the sewer pipes were more turbulent than they should've been, stirring up the sewage, and these conditions were causing the odour.

Odour issues have been resolved

Identifying the cause of the odours, and finding the best solution to manage these odours, was complex. Our long-term solution has reduced the sewer capacity issues that were being experienced in the area.

The solution involved building a new 300-metre-long section of underground sewer pipe near Painted Hills Road, Doreen (close to Laurimar Lake), which now diverts sewage flows into the larger sewer pipe that exists there. The sewerage system in Doreen is no longer be operating beyond its capacity, and the likelihood of odours being caused by turbulent sewage flows has been greatly reduced.

Construction of the new sewer pipe was completed in late December 2017. We've been monitoring odours in the area since then, and our investigations have revealed our solution has  successfully reduced odours.

Our contractor also decommissioned (or 'retired') some old pipes and removed other assets in the area that were no longer required, and these minor works were completed in June 2018.

Contact us

While we're confident the odour issues in Doreen have been resolved, please let us know if you are still experiencing odours. If you have any questions or feedback about this project, please contact the project manager, Brett Mills, by email [email protected]