An area of east College Station has long had a problem with the stink coming from a nearby wastewater treatment plant.

Now fresher air is coming to the community as major improvements begin at the city's Carter Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant just south of Highway 30.

News 3 looked into how the city is trying to fix a smelly situation.

Allyson Wright spends a lot of time around the house with her family.

"We have three kids and very active. We like to play baseball, soccer out in the cul-de-sac," said Wright, who lives in the Emerald Forest subdivision.

When the wind blows out of the northeast it's hard not to notice the wastewater treatment plant less than half a mile away.

"They've given us a phone number we can call if they smell an odor and they usually respond and try to get somebody out here to neutralize it and fix it for us," Wright said.

$1.6 million in improvements are starting this month including
updating old equipment at the plant on North Forest Parkway.

10 percent of that is being spent on odor control.

The biggest benefit for residents will be an overhaul to the spraying system. You can think of them as an air freshener working 24 hours a day.

Kerry Maxwell is the Lead Operator for the Carter Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and says while they won't be able to completely eliminate the sewage smells, this plan will help.

"We try to make sure that we are neighbor friendly. Try to keep all the odors down as possible and we get some complaints and we do, we get right on them," said Maxwell.

"Some of the improvements has helped but we still when we get the wind out of the northeast it's bad at times," said neighbor Paul Jackson.

Resident Sarah Schwind doesn't want to pay higher rates.

The project is being financed not only through bonds but from a five percent utility rate increase now in effect.

"Even as I walk I don't really notice it very often the wind has to be from the east in order for that to come over," said Schwind.

"We really appreciate them taking the initiative to try to make that better for us," said Allyson Wright.

Breathing easier in about a year's time.

While work starts this month we're told the project isn't expected to be finished until October 2013.

The Carter Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently treating about 5.6 million gallons of water per day.

We're told the City of Bryan has been looking at the odor impact of the Burton Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant off Spring Loop in College Station.

They installed high speed fans to help alleviate smells there about two years ago.