MENANDS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — For years, the smell in Menands and North Albany has led residents to complain. On Tuesday, Albany County discussed its timeline for fixing the smell, as well as identifying the source.
“We recognize the frustrations that the residents have with the odors,” said Albany County Water Purification District Executive Director Angelo Gaudio. “We certainly feel the frustration.”
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County officials identified the mixing system within the sludge processing system as the source of the smell. Since 2018, the county had been developing and submitting plans to address the entire system, which officials say is outdated. In 2024, the Department of Environmental Conservation denied these plans, which county officials said has led to the delay in fixing the smell.
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“It was in front of [the] DEC going back to 2018,” said Gaudio. “In ‘24, that was the first time they had basically told us that they would not approve that option.”
In March 2025, the DEC approved the plans to upgrade the system. Deputy County Executive Mike McLaughlin highlighted that this process takes time…