Strong stench in Layton comes from gasoline in groundwater, sources say

LAYTON – The source of the stench in Layton has been discovered, and environmental officials say they can help make the smell go away.

An underground gasoline spill has been found on a stretch of land adjacent to a gas station near Gentile Street and Angel Street.  Crews haven’t pinpointed precisely the source of the plume, but, Department of Environmental Quality Spokesperson Donna Kemp Spangler says they have a good idea where it went.

“Along this underground pathway, it encountered a secondary track in a backfield sewer trench and worked its way into the storm drain of Angel Street,” she says. “The vapors then traveled from the storm drain into people’s homes, via the ground.”

The stench has been bothering residents since mid-February.  The Deseret News reports that the smell was so strong some people had to leave their homes, and others became sick.

Crews have not determined how many gallons spilled, nor how they’re going to clean it up, yet.

Spangler says, “We kind of know where the pathway is going, but we really don’t know the actual extent of it.”

The good news is that since they know what the substance is, they know how to get rid of the putrid scent.

“We’ve been able to install vapor recovery systems that will capture the odor so they can safely return to their homes,” she says.