The culprit in the case of a foul odor many residents in Fulton have noticed Friday has been identified.
A motor in an oxidation ditch at Fulton's sewer plant has gone bad. A replacement part should be into the city by Wednesday.
An oxidation ditch is a circular basin in which wastewater is treated by microorganisms, which process the waste. Without oxygen being pumped into the waste, many of those organisms die, and an odor arises. The smell is compounded by the hot, humid weather.
Director of Administration Bill Johnson said that the motor was a maintenance issue and is not difficult to install. It should be running soon after the city receives it, but it may take a few days for oxygen levels to return to normal in the ditch. Aside from the smelly inconvenience, the issue poses no health risk to the city.