Stinky mystery: Foul odours irk residents on Georgia island

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Officials on the Georgia coast are trying to get to the bottom of a stinky problem.

Residents of St. Simons Island have been complaining of foul odours around a major intersection. Utility officials point the finger at gases building up in the sewer pipes and leaking through a manhole in the road.

The Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission is working to snuff out the smell. The Brunswick News reports workers are testing sewage in different parts of the system until they can find the source of the gas.

Commission deputy director Andrew Burroughs says a high concentration of sulfides in the wastewater system is one of several possible causes for the strong odours. He says chemicals could be used to mask the smell or eliminate its source.