renate cervinka & ernst neudorfer18 h iaps conference, vienna 2004 sewage in the city - odour...

Renate Cervinka & Ernst Neudorfer 18h IAPS Conference, Vienna 2004

Sewage in the city -odour annoyance and evaluation of

mitigation measures

Renate Cervinka & Ernst Neudorfer Medical University of Vienna/Austria


Odour annoyance from sewers

formation of odourous gases

anaerobic conditions in the sewage water

(oxygen deficiency)

odour annoyance


Project 1: 1999-2002

Project 2: 2002

Project 3: 2003

Combating odour annoyance


Physical/chemical measurements(project 1)

Psychometric assessments

Methods of evaluation/assessment


Odour: Noise:

Repeated brief questioning by postcards

(according to VDI 3883/2)


Project 1

Project 1


Problem:

Odour annoyance from the sewer system

Technical solution:

Addition of calcium-nitrate

( Prevention of anoxic decomposition processes)

Psychological Part:

Evaluation of the mitigation measure (assessment of odour

annoyance) [Questionaire & repeated brief questioning]

Project 1

Sample:

529 households


Project 1

Expectations of the residents

•Sealing of manhole covers

•Reducing the amout of manhole covers

•Installation of a filter system

•Accelerating the flow of the sewage water

•more frequent cleaning of the sewers

•etc.

Measure applied:•Addition of calcium-nitrate

discrepance


Project 1

Odour and Noise AnnoyanceOdour Noise

3,5

(Mean)

(street 1) (street 2)


Project 1

Odourous gases (H2S) in the canal air:

1999

2001


Project 1

Reduction of odour annoyance 1999-2001(street 1)

0

2

4

6

8

10

Time

An

no

yan

ce(S

tree

t 1)

1999

0

2

4

6

8

10

Time

An

no

yan

ce(S

tree

t 1)

2000

1999

significant reduction (F=7,55; df=2/7; p=.018; n=9)

0

2

4

6

8

10

Time

An

no

yan

ce(S

tree

t 1)

2000

1999

2001


Project 1

Correlations: Odour annoyance - H2S

Pearson-correlation, one-way (**p=0,01)

1999 2000 2001street 1 0,76** 0,80** 0,09

street 2 -- 0,82** 0,76**

street 3 -- -- 0,75**

street 4 -- -- 0,27


Project 1

Noise now predominating env. stressor(street 2)

Odour and noise annoyance 2000-2001

2

4

6

8

10

week

25

week

26

week

27

week

28

week

29

week

30

week

31

week

32

week

33

week

34

week

35

week

36

week

37

week

38

week

39

Time

An

no

yan

ce

Odour annoyance 2000 Noise annoyance 2000

Odour annoyance 2001 Noise annoyance 2001


Project 1

Conclusions (Project 1)

•Different expactations (residents/experts)

communication/complaint management

•Noise as an additional stressor

holistic mitigation measures

•High correlations between H2S and odour annoyance

•Reduction of emissions turned out to be a long-term task


Project 2

Project 2


Problem:

Complaints about odour annoyance

Method:

Survey of locally existing environmental stressors [Questionaire]

Project 2

Sample:

204 households

Question:

Does the application of sewer treatment make sense?


Project 2

AnnoyanceNoise

(Mean)

3,5

Odour

3,5


Project 2

Sources of malodour

Perception of odours from different sources

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

domestic fire

agriculture

industry

waste treatment plants

sewer

traffic

percentage


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

domestic fire

agriculture

industry


sewer

traffic

percentage


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

domestic fire

agriculture

industry


sewer

traffic

percentage


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

domestic fire

agriculture

industry


sewer

traffic

percentage


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

domestic fire

agriculture

industry


sewer

traffic

percentage


Project 2

Conclusions (Project 2)

•Planned: treatment of sewage water

•Recommendation:

Holistic mitigation measure needed

(Argumentation: Due to several environmental stressors only sewage mitigation will not result in an improvement of perceived environmental quality)


Project 3

Project 3


Technical measure:

Examination of 2 simple and cost-efficient measures

Objective:

Evaluation of odour mitigation measures

Problem:

Complaints about odour annoyance

Project 3

Sample:

199 households

Method:

Assessment of odour annoyance [repeated brief questioning]


Odour annoyance(summer 2003)

0

2

4

6

8

10

Time (week)

od

ou

r a

nn

oy

an

ce

Kanalstraße control area


0

2

4

6

8

10

Time (week)

od

ou

r a

nn

oy

an

ce



0

2

4

6

8

10

Time (week)

od

ou

r a

nn

oy

an

ce


Measure

Project 3

Annoyance during summer 2003


Project 3

Conclusion (Project 3)

•No reduction of odour annoyance in comparison to control area

measures taken are not working sufficiently


Conclusions (Project 1 to 3)

Psychological assessmentwas applied successfully

within the transdisciplinary approach!


Conclusions (Project 1 to 3)

•Implement a proper complaint management and PR-strategy in time!

•In most cases combined environmental stressors are in action! In such a case only comprehensive mitigation measures will bring a sufficient improvement in environmental quality.

•Take in mind the diverse perceptions and expectations of technicians and residents!

•Technical project management as well as annoyance reduction turned out to be a long term task!

•Sometimes competing methods for mitigation are available. Apropriate testing including psychological approaches will facilitate technical expert’s decisions!


Thank you for your attention!

http://www.univie.ac.at/umwelthygiene/geruch/

renate cervinka & ernst neudorfer18 h iaps conference, vienna 2004 sewage in the city - odour...

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