POST FALLS — Tim Brown has lived next to his sometimes-stinking neighbor for 20 years.

Brown lives in the Camelot Estates mobile home park across the fence from Post Falls' sewer treatment plant or, as cities refer to them, water reclamation facility.

"When you get a drift over our way, it can be really bad," Brown said of the smell. "When I first moved in the bugs were really bad, too, but they aren't quite as bad now.

"I'm not used to it, but you just put up with it."

Brown said he knows when a truck hauling the waste from the site to a composting firm in Washington drives by, or when the lime crust on the solids that's intended to cut the stink in the open storage facility is broken: The smell intensifies. He said he and his neighbors often have to shut their windows or take their barbecue meals indoors.

Motorists on Interstate 90, particularly on hot summer days when the wind is in that direction, occasionally also catch a whiff.

But relief is on its way.

Odor control, along with improved treatment of the wastewater that's discharged to the Spokane River, is part of the $14.75 million project at the wastewater facility along Seltice Way that is slated to be completed by the end of the year.

John Beacham, Post Falls' environmental manager, said the extensive upgrades that are being funded by city ratepayers were driven by more stringent treatment standards mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Other dischargers, including the cities of Coeur d'Alene, Liberty Lake and Spokane and the Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board, are also implementing similar upgrades to clean up the river.

The odor control measures at Post Falls, which will include an enclosed storage facility and a biofilter system, aren't a requirement of the city's wastewater discharge permit that went into effect in December 2014. But Beacham said they are part of being a good neighbor in the community and they’re also encouraged by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

"Odor control is now an expectation as a part of upgrades," Beacham said, adding that wasn't necessarily the case 20 years ago. "We believe it's important to be good stewards of the community if odors are escaping."

He said the city averages a complaint a week during hot weather in recent years.

"We try to walk people through the process of how the odor is generated and what we do to mitigate that so they understand," Beacham said, adding that in addition to the lime on the solids, frequent pickups and requiring loads to be covered are among the current measures.

"Once they understand, they're generally less upset about it. Once the project was approved, we met with neighbors to show them what's being constructed so they can be aware of the project. We're trying to turn the facility into something clean."

The biggest thrust behind the upgrades is reducing phosphorous levels in treated wastewater from 95 to 98 percent to more than 99 percent. The reduction of phosphorous levels leads to improved fish habitat and improved water quality.

But it comes at a hefty cost to Post Falls residents. Post Falls sewer rates increased

14.5 percent in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, then another 10 percent in 2015-16. They are slated to increase 9 percent in 2016-17 and 7 percent in both 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Beacham said the rate hikes are necessary to meet the city's 20-year sewer master plan. The city received a $10.8 million state loan at 2.25 percent interest that will help pay for the upgrades up front, and the rate increases will pay off the loan.

Other upgrades include a headworks system that removes trash, rags and other items before further treatment, and an equalization system that mitigates daily peaks in flow and includes two 810,000-gallon tanks.

"The equalization installation will allow for smaller equipment and therefore reduced capital costs," Beacham said.

He said buying American-made steel and other metals were a requirement of the project to receive funding.

Beacham said even with the extensive upgrades, the city still envisions using its land application site on the Rathdrum Prairie in the next five to 10 years to complement discharging to the river.

"The timing (of land application) is dependent upon growth," he said.

To Brown and other residents who have endured the foul winds over the years, the facility upgrades will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

"I'm really looking forward to it," he said.