Apalachicola hustles to remedy stinky water

A lot of residents in Apalachicola have noses like Aaron Matt and his daughter. 

“The water is absolutely disgusting, and it has been for at least a month or so, maybe more,” he said. “Several months ago I would notice it every so often after washing clothes, and I just thought the washing machine was not draining correctly. 

“However, within the last several weeks or a month, the water in our apartment, which is our house, smells very, very strongly. My daughter mentioned it tonight in her bath that her water smelt really bad, like eggs.”

The aroma of the H2O hasn’t been lost on members of the city commission, who earlier this month unanimously authorized an emergency expenditure of up to a half-million dollars to remedy the problem.

As a sole source procurement, the city has moved forward on a deal with ECS Environmental Solutions, out of Belton, Texas, for the purchase and installation of a degasification tower, commonly known as an odor scrubber.

City Planner Bree Robinson, who is serving as interim city manager in advance of the April 1 start of newly hired Michael Brillhart, said the authorized expenditures should be sufficient, with forecasts that the cost of equipment should run a little above $220,000 and installation at $198,000.

“The catalyst for this issue was Hurricane Helene,” said Robinson, of the storm that struck Sept 27, 2024. “The wind damage loosened the equipment and it fell shortly after.

“With the inoperable odor scrubber now removed, this critical step in the water treatment process is missing, resulting in the noticeable sulfur odor,” she said. “However, the water remains safe to drink despite the unpleasant smell.

“As soon as it collapsed, it was reported to DEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection,” she said. “We do routine testing, and we have not had any issues on water quality. It’s simply a smell and has no effect on the safety of drinking water.”

Over the course of the last couple years, the city has improved its adherence to water safety standards, and is no longer under a multi-year consent order that required more frequent water testing than is the case with most Florida municipalities.

“The city is compliant with state standards and the water is safe to drink and bathe in,” Robinson said.

The challenge to immediately replacing the scrubber, which sits atop the treatment plant’s water tank, was that it has to be fabricated to city specifications. Robinson said she could not specify when the work would be completed and the scrubber installed.

“We’re moving as fast as we can, it’s a priority for everyone in the city,” she said.

The city has filed a claim with its insurance company, and on March 10, Robinson and Rhett Butler, the water and sewer field crew supervisor, met with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“We’re in the early phases of FEMA claims right now,” she said. “Usually the insurance will only pay for what the equipment is currently worth, unlike covering what’s needed for a total replacement. FEMA takes that into account and they will cover the difference.”

Robinson said because the odor is stronger when water sits within the pipes, city workers have been busy flushing the lines.

She said that homes on streets where the lines deadend, such as on the outskirts of town off Brownsville Road, may notice a stronger smell.