MOUNT DORA, Fla. — A stinky issue is a continued concern for many Sullivan Ranch residents in Mount Dora who have complained for years about a chemical-like smell in and around their homes.

Now the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is doing something about it.

What You Need To Know

  • Residents of Sullivan Ranch in Mount Dora have complained about an odor in their community for years

  • The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is conducting odor investigations at various times of the day to account for factors like weather conditions and wind direction

  • On Sept. 12, DEP provided a draft Consent Order for the city's waste water treatment facility to be reviewed by city council members

  • Earlier this month, Mount Dora officials had a follow-up meeting with DEP to review the draft Consent Order

In a statement DEP acknowledged the issue:

“DEP is aware of odor complaints in the Mount Dora area and regularly conducts inspections of several regulated facilities in the area to determine potential sources of objectionable odors. Given the area’s extensive agricultural and industrial operations, there are several facilities on the eastern edge of the city that may be contributing to these odors, including the city of Mount Dora’s Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF).”

Now DEP is conducting odor investigations at various times of the day, because odor detection can vary due to factors like weather conditions and wind direction. The agency shared the timeline of its investigation with Spectrum News.

  • On Sept. 7, 2022, objectionable off-site odors were detected by DEP at the WWTF. DEP extended a Compliance Assistance Offer to the city on Sept. 15 to address observed non-compliance. 
  • Objectionable off-site odors were again detected on Jan. 17, 2023, and May 11, 2023. In between the two dates — on March 20 — the city reached out to DEP to discuss its odor mitigation strategies, both in the short-term and long-term
  • On May 8, 2023, DEP issued a warning letter to address deficiencies identified during an inspection on April 21, 2023 
  • On Sept. 12, 2023, DEP provided a draft Consent Order for the WWTF to be reviewed by city council members, who have since requested a time extension. For the Consent Order to be finalized and executed, it must be approved by the City Council.  
  • On Oct. 12, 2023, Mount Dora officials had a follow-up meeting with DEP to review the draft Consent Order. During this meeting, the city conveyed that some of their earlier reporting on levels for hydrogen sulfide gas (which was being used as means to measure odors) may not have been accurate, and they updated language on their website. 

Mount Dora resident, Cheri Pivowar, said she’s been one of the homeowners affected by the smell. She moved into her Sullivan Ranch to retire, but what was supposed to be a dream come true, quickly turned into a nightmare.

Pivowar said her cute Sullivan Ranch neighborhood was cursed with a mysterious smell.

“It is a strong chemical smell," she said. "So it is hard to breathe. It’s awful."

She believes the culprit is potentially a gas called hydrogen sulfide, which is colorless, flammable, and poisonous. Pivowar and her neighbors have repeatedly asked the city and the county for help, but have yet to get the problem solved.

“I don’t know what else to do," she said. "We’re frustrated. We can’t get any help."

Now her days revolve around this smell — she checks her air quality sniffer before doing anything outside, like walking her dog. 

“It really is a gorgeous neighborhood — I don’t want to leave this neighborhood," Pivowar said. "But I don’t want to be ill either. I don’t want to breathe this in."

Pivowar and her neighbors believe the gas is coming from a nearby lift station. While that may be up for debate, what isn’t is the city receiving a draft consent order from the Florida Department of Environmental Protections saying the city has nine violations, such as managing odors within the Sullivan Ranch subdivision.

According to the document, the city is facing $9,750 in penalties and settlement money. Plus non-compliance with the consent order could result in the city paying a penalty of $1,000 a day until the issue is resolved.

“It’s a waste," said Pivowar. "They’ve been fined like $10,000 and then $1,000 a day. I can’t wrap my head around this — why not just fix it? If you’re saying that it’s a money situation then get some grants.” 

As the smell continues to linger, Pivowar said she wonders what her future retirement will look like.

“It’s not fair," she said. "We buy our homes, this is my retirement home. I just want to sew. I just want to leave my retirement."

DEP representatives told Spectrum News that based on ongoing monitoring, there is no credible evidence that any regulated facility in the area has emitted or released levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in excess of state regulatory levels. H2S has a low odor threshold and even when not at concentrations high enough to impact people's health can be a nuisance.

Spectrum News also reached out to the city of Mount Dora regarding the DEP investigation. In a statement, the city said officials met with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Oct. 12, and "both parties made great progress and are continuing to work together to resolve community concerns and responsible plan for the future.”