Christchurch residents have been warned the city’s wastewater pond odour is likely to continue, with council monitoring showing ongoing issues and little short term improvement expected.

In its latest update, Christchurch City Council said the first 3 ponds remained unhealthy, with monitoring recording spikes in hydrogen sulphide levels, a key contributor to the persistent smell affecting parts of the city.

The council acknowledged the frustration many residents felt, saying the ongoing stench was its top priority and the reason for continued public updates.

“We know these updates can feel repetitive. Many of you are dealing with the stench every day, and we understand that what you really want is for the odour to stop. That is our top priority,” the council said.

Officials said weather conditions were unlikely to help pond health in the coming days, with shifts in wind and temperature expected to influence odour levels and cause noticeable spikes across different suburbs.

The council said staff were working on the ponds daily while also progressing longer term solutions, with further details expected to be shared soon.

In the meantime, residents were told the smell would likely persist and vary depending on weather patterns, particularly wind direction.

The current odour status remained unchanged, with 6 ponds classified as red and 2 as orange, reflecting ongoing concern about conditions at the site.

The council said another update would be issued tomorrow ahead of the weekend, warning that based on current conditions and forecasts, noticeable odour spikes were likely to continue.