GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. – Residents near a sewage pumping station on the east side of Grosse Pointe Farms say an odor in the air has become so bad that they’re considering moving away.
The complaints come from the area near Kerby Road and Chalfonte Avenue, close to the pumping facility operated by the Southeast Macomb Sanitary District.
Mark Montantee, who lives on nearby Hillcrest Avenue, described the smell as overwhelming during warmer months.
“It was overwhelming; It was embarrassing really, my wife was embarrassed to have people over,” said Montantee.
Montantee and his wife bought their home two years ago and found the odor unbearable when the windows were open.
“The smell would just implode inside the house and you’d have to shut the windows and wait a few hours for it to clear,” Montantee said.
Montantee has contacted the city and the sanitary district, drafting letters to describe the problem and request a solution.
He plans to notify county and state officials next.
The city of Grosse Pointe Farms acknowledged it periodically receives complaints about the smell, with recent reports noting the odor was worse than usual.
The city has been in talks with the sanitary district, which has taken some action.
Officials said they have increased ventilation at the facility and may also replace the carbon filters, which have not been changed in years, to help reduce the odor.