What's that smell? Here's the answer

Above: Picture illustration

Investigations have uncovered one cause of the “rotten egg” smell being reported in some Moreton Bay coastal suburbs.

Newport, Clontarf, Scarborough and Redcliffe residents have experienced something ‘on the nose’ since the weather cooled down.

Many have contacted Unitywater, believing it was an issue with the wastewater network.

However, Executive Manager Customer Delivery Rhett Duncan said up to 24 per cent of odour reports were not related to infrastructure.

“One of the causes, when it’s not our assets, has been confirmed as mangroves or other environmental factors,” Mr Duncan said.

“When mangroves drop seeds, bacteria helps breakdown the organic matter, producing a sulphur reaction, which creates sulphide gas and the associated odour.

“It’s often described as a rotten egg smell and is most common from May to November, as cooler conditions disperse less sulphide gas and it’s more concentrated.

“This can be mistaken for wastewater odour.” 

In the last 12 months, Unitywater has had 376 odour reports across its service region, which were investigated to ensure no issues with the wastewater network.

“We take these reports seriously and we understand odour can be a nuisance for the local community,” Mr Duncan said.

“Our maintenance programs help manage any odour from our network and we encourage residents to consider if it is from a nearby swamp, wetland or river.”

Residents should consider how close they are to mangroves, the time of year, wind, seasonal changes in rainfall and temperature.

“While it can be a nuisance, in Queensland, all mangroves are protected and play an important role in stabilising riverbanks and channels,” Mr Duncan said.

“They also provide important habitat and food sources for local animals, including various species of waterbirds, fish and bees.”