FOUL odours exuding from South Wangaratta are due to the desludging of a wastewater treatment facility located at the Van Hessen sausage casing factory on Shanley Street.

EPA continues to monitor odour impacts emitted from a private wastewater treatment facility and desludging is due to be completed by Friday, October 20.

An EPA spokesperson said officers continue to regulate the site to hold the company Van Hessen Australia Pty Ltd to account with the conditions of their EPA licence and the General Environmental Duty.

"Van Hessen have notified EPA that they are currently performing desludging activities on their ponds," he said.

"While this desludging activity will improve the overall operation and effectiveness of their wastewater treatment system, in the short term the desludging may increase the risk of odour generation at the site.

"Van Hessen has informed EPA that the desludging work is expected to be completed by October 20.

EPA has provided specialist technical advice and continue to monitor their actions to ensure they have the appropriate controls in place at the premises to effectively minimise the risk of offensive odour escaping their premises.

A summary of recent EPA actions over the matter include:

* 24 August 2023: EPA issued the company with four remedial notices. These notices require improvements to the processing and handling of material on their site. These notices also require Van Hessen to install controls to minimise risk of odours from their production.

* 15 September 2023: EPA issued the company with an Environment Action Notice requiring them to maintain oxygen levels in their aerobic wastewater treatment pond within specific parameters. This will assist in maintaining a stable condition of the ponds and reduce odours.

* 2 Oct 2023 EPA issued the company with two remedial notices. These notices are in relation to the proposed desludging of their wastewater treatment ponds in October 2023 and in relation to the functionality and integrity of their ponds to ensure they are operating optimally.

"EPA has conducted multiple inspections since the beginning of the desludging process to monitor compliance with the requirements outlined in the issued notices.

Advice has been given during the inspections and the notices will be assessed at their respective due dates," the spokesperson said.

"Our ongoing surveillance and your reports assist us to determine if corrective actions are being effective."

EPA encourages people to report strong odour by using a form that can be found at https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution#Reporting%20pollution (preferred) or emailing contact@epa.vic.gov.au or calling 1300 EPA VIC.