Whitehorse residents complain of sewage lagoon smell

A stinky wind blows in the Whistle Bend subdivision in Whitehorse, says Verda Heiland, a resident of the area.

"It's a very acrid smell. When it gets really bad its like chewing on tinfoil. It's toxic, very unhealthy and very unpleasant. You go out to work on the yard or whatever you do, you go out for a walk and you have to turn around and go home. Close the windows, close the doors, wait until the wind changes."

The smell is coming from the city sewage lagoon across the Yukon River.

Heiland has livedin the area for 30 years and says her quality of life has suffered.

She's brought the issue up with the city before and she's tired of waiting for the odourto go away.

"I'd like to see them put some aerators in there, put some electricity in there and run generators to stir it, to get it working. It doesn't work. It's just a pool of poop."

Brian Crist is the city's manager of infrastructure and operations.

He says it's a seasonal issue, and the city of Whitehorse is planning to sludge the lagoons soon.

"It's just something that at this point the city has to get through, Crist says. It's a two week period. In the long term, the city is committed to working through on some resolve."

The city says it's had three complaints so far this season.