Some Devonshire residents may soon be able to breathe a little easier now that a new sewage treatment plant has been installed at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.

A Bermuda Hospitals Board spokeswoman said the installation work was completed last Monday and the plant is already processing some sewage.

The new plant is currently in the testing/commissioning stage and is expected to go into full operation within the next two weeks.

“The new unit — a submerged high performance aerated filter sewage treatment plant — has a filtered vent which eliminates any minor odour emissions,” she said.

“It is also environmentally-friendly, producing clean effluent which poses no threat to the environment.

“The new plant can treat 12,000 gallons of sewage a day, double the capacity of the previous facility.

“The new plant is also equipped with a FOG unit which removes fats, oils and grease from the system. This helps to improve the waste processing function, and also helps to reduce odours and will reduce maintenance repairs due to grease and fat build-up and ‘clogging’ of the system.”

The design of the project was approved by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Environment, and the $701,000 project was entirely funded by the Bermuda Government.

Neighbours of the Devon Springs Road facility have complained about foul odours from the older plant for several years.

However increased chemical treatments this year reportedly helped to minimalism the problem this summer.