Hollister's city council this week approved an amended contract with Veolia Water North America Operating Services LLC, managing and removing sludge in a project now expected to cost a total of $2.1 million.

Veolia aims to remove thousands of dry tons of sludge from the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant and and the Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant, the latter of which houses sludge that, according to a staff report by the City of Hollister, has accumulated there for about 40 years.

Complaints over odor last year led regulators to a number of issues later addressed by Veolia Water with the cooperation of San Benito Foods, the downtown cannery that sends its wastewater to the treatment plant on the west side of town. The cause of the odor, however, is buildup of sludge in the treatment ponds, according to a staff report presented April 20 to city council.

Interim Engineering Manager and City Engineer David Rubcic told BenitoLink that the removal of decades of built-up sludge will be a benefit for the community and could help prevent a repeat of the foul summertime aromas.