LEWISTON — Described by residents as similar to burning rubber, barbecued plastic or “like when I am flat ironing my hair and I burn it accidentally,” city officials Wednesday said a smell wafting in the air is likely from a sewer pipe lining crew working days and nights.

Public Works Director Mary Ann Brenchick said contractor National Water Main Cleaning Co. started work several weeks ago “all over town” and work will continue for the next six to eight weeks.

“There is some night work in high traffic areas, but they are working during the day as well,” she said. “There may be a slight odor to it, but well under any health risk levels and not a ‘burning rubber’ odor. The contractor is required to notify all residents impacted prior to the lining.”

The work involves rehabilitating the sewer main on about 60 streets by installing a “cure-in-place” liner on pipes that eliminates having to dig, according to a city news release sent late in the day.

“During the lining work, there are odors associated with the epoxy used to cure the liner,” the release said. “The odors are associated with styrene in the epoxy and are vented during and after the curing process, and increased ventilation helps dissipate any odors. These styrene odors may be noticeable both outside and indoors but are at safe levels, and the contractor is monitoring styrene levels.”

Residents were encouraged to add water to traps in showers, sinks and floor drains and check that sewer clean-outs in the basement were capped.

Those who need to shut water off are being hand-delivered notices and educational flyers.

Brenchick said the city code office and public works had received two to three complaints each about the smell.

A Maine Department of Environmental Protection spokesman said that office had not received any calls.

Lewiston Assistant Fire Chief Mark Caron said the department hasn’t been dispatched to any recent calls based on smells, “however, we have responded in the past for odor investigations that we were able to determine were caused by the pipe lining operations. I would say if the odors are being reported in the area these lining operations are occurring that it could be a likely source.”

More than 80 people weighed in on a Lewiston Rocks Facebook post on Wednesday asking if anyone else was smelling something weird at night. Guesses there ranged from wildfires in the West, paving projects and burning plastic to neighbors “cooking something nasty.”

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