SANFORD, Fla. – An ongoing “odor issue” in Sanford could soon be eliminated, according to the city manager on Wednesday.
In a news release, City Manager Norton Bonaparte announced that the city’s utilities team implemented changes at the North Water Reclamation Facility to mitigate the stench.
As part of these fixes, the utilities team has ordered a custom odor control exhaust fan to replace the damaged one, Bonaparte said. In the meantime, a temporary fan has been brought in to provide a little relief until the new fan can be installed.
[BELOW: News 6 takes a look at what’s causing the stink in Sanford]
As of Wednesday evening, Bonaparte said the city expects to have the new fan installed by late November.
“I understand how unpleasant this issue has been for those affected, and I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work toward a lasting solution,” the release reads. “Please know that resolving this matter remains a top priority for the City, and we will continue to keep you informed every step of the way.”
Our News 6 team has been following the ongoing odor issue in the city since September when the mayor said there were multiple equipment failures at what’s called the North Water Reclamation Facility near Lake Monroe.
Antonio Echevarria, a homeowner News 6 first met in September, told us Thursday he’s already noticed a difference.
“The smell, it’s not that bad as it used to be,” Echevarria said.
“When did you notice a change?” Seminole County Community Correspondent Catherine Silver asked.
“Right after you guys showed up,” he responded.
The city of Sanford also shared a timeline that covers what’s been happening at the wastewater treatment facility below:
- Late August 2025: City of Sanford takes steps to address issue by requesting the purchase order for the first exhaust fan blower unit.
- Sept. 3: Purchase order issued.
- Sept. 22: The specifications are approved for the construction of the first exhaust fan blower.
- Sept. 30: The approval for construction of the second (backup/spare) exhaust fan blower unit was given.
- (Expected) Nov. 24: The exhaust fan blower unit is scheduled to be delivered the week of 11/24/2025 and upon delivery it will be installed by City staff.
- (Expected) End of November: The expected impact will be almost immediate after the installation of the custom-built fan in November. The impact will be due to a combination of projects and process modifications coming to a close at the end of November.
On Thursday, our News 6 team got an inside look at the facility where the utilities and public works director showed us the temporary fan that’s been installed, while they wait for the custom odor control exhaust fan that will replace the one that was out of service.
“Unfortunately, it is a custom-built fan. And so, it takes a while to get. And it is being manufactured. But in the meantime, we did install a temporary fan,” Utilities and Public Works Director Brynt Johnson explained. “Although it does not meet the same specifications as the custom fan, it is helping with the process.”
Johnson said the temporary fan is not as high-powered as the replacement unit the city has ordered, which is designed to extract the odorous air from the treatment tanks through an odor control unit.
“The permanent fan is larger, pulls more volume of air than that one does, and has a much more powerful motor,” Johnson pointed out as he showed us the temporary fan. “But as I stated that one is assisting and aiding in the process, which is why you don’t really smell much of an odor right now.”
The city also addressed questions about why a replacement was not kept on hand previously. The part is big and costly, and “normally does not fail within 2 - 3 years.” Since Sanford wants to do its best to avoid issues in the future, they have also ordered a backup exhaust fan to keep on hand.
The city manager says the replacement fan is expected to arrive in late November, and staff anticipate it will take only a day to make the repairs once all the parts have arrived.
In addition to the spare fan they will have for the future, the city is also implementing a new maintenance schedule for the exhaust fan blower. Staff shared on the city’s "Sanford Says" podcast last week that the equipment failed because it wasn’t maintained the way it should have been and was running more than it should have been.
Echavarria told News 6 Thursday that the smell was so bad that he and his wife had planned to sell their home and move out of Sanford. The couple bought their house to move to Florida from New Jersey and retire this year. They’re now enjoying spending more time outdoors without the strong smell of sewage.
“We went through hell with that smell,” said Echavarria. “You think you’ll be happy here for the future,” Seminole County Community Correspondent Catherine Silver asked.
“We like it,” Echavarria replied.