When the weather warmed up a few months ago cyclists, drivers, walkers, and shoppers near the Wabash Landing started to smell something that could only be described as “shitty”. Turns out the city’s wastewater treatment plant is right next to the shopping district, next to the community park, next to the pedestrian walking bridge.

In an effort to decrease the amount of overflow entering the Mighty Wabash River they drained raw sewage into an above-ground holding pool. The hot air consequently heated up the sewage and GROSS we would all smell wafts of human shit whenever we drove over the (main) bridge to the other side of town, or when we got out of our cars to go eat at a nearby restaurant. YUM, let me tell ya.

Out of curiosity we’d ask students what they thought was causing the smell. Most blamed it on the Wabash, and true, the poor river doesn’t have the best of reputations, but a rare few actually knew about the wastewater plant.

Apparently enough residents complained to the city:

The city of West Lafayette is hoping to freshen the air around its wastewater treatment plant.

Utility Manger Dave Henderson said he is looking purchasing [sic] a product called “Planet Breeze” which will neutralize the odor inside the lagoon at the treatment plant. Many West Lafayette residents complained about the smell after the city drained raw sewage into an open lagoon to renovate its sewage digesters.

In June a vanilla scented “air freshener” was installed at the plant to help mask the smell coming from the plant. Henderson said this option should neutralize the odor instead of just masking it. [Source]

Well thank god they’re not going to just “mask it” again.

“Hi! Welcome to West Lafayette, Indiana—home of Purdue University! Don’t mind our shit!”

When I first watched this video I thought it was ridiculous that folks would have a problem using a pooper scooper or just putting the bag over your hand. Life with a dog can be pretty gross, but I couldn’t come up with a justification for this product until I saw this video—I guess it would be great for those who live in concrete cities or other places with little-to-no access to grass.

It still seems weird to me, though.