PHOENIX — A foul smell is lingering in a Glendale neighborhood and residents are at their wits end.
"It stinks," Helena Johnson-Bodine said.
"Kind of like a raw sewage smell," resident Graham said. "It's disgusting sometimes."
The odor has lingered for years in part of the Arrowhead Ranch subdivision and has caused frustration to grow among neighbors. Graham, who only wanted to go by his first name, is one of those residents. He says the smell is constant.
"Everyday," he said. "And you can smell it on the course or off the course. It's really depending on the wind. I've asked all the people and they smell it all over the place."
According to residents it can also depend on the temperature as well. Helena Johnson-Bodine is the HOA president for Arrowhead Ranch Phase II. She says the summer months can be brutal.
"Sewage, toilet smell," she said. "I live far away from the hole and I could smell it on my morning walks and we were hopeful that when it got colder it would at least subside and it was horrible."
The culprit is believed to be a pond at the 6th Hole at the Arrowhead Country Club.
"It's probably 200 yards long and 50 yards wide and it's part of the hole," Graham said. "The hole is beautiful, the view is beautiful and the smell takes it all away."
Johnson-Bodine says the lakes in the area are reclaimed sewer water which have to be treated chemically. It's believed the lake at the 6th Hole isn't being properly treated, which is causing the stench. Sometimes it gets so bad, she says residents can't go outside.
"When I first heard about what it was I contacted our council member, Lauren Tomachoff, and she got right on it and began to investigate what was going on," Johnson-Bodine said.
The number of complaints continued to increase so Helena and several others also met with the then Country Club General Manager last September to try and find a solution.
"We're neighbors, we're in a partnership, we all want to succeed," she said. "We want everything to be beautiful, we want the golf course to be successful, what can we do to help you? He said he was for it and when I followed up, he ghosted me, and I never heard from him again."
Residents say they're at a standstill and that the smell is lingering now sometimes stronger than ever. 12News reached out to the Arrowhead Country Club and owner, ARCIS Golf, sent a statement that says:
"We are currently working with Arizona Lake and Pond Management LLC to address the issue. Based on advice of these experts, we have been treating the lake to eradicate algae and reduce its ability to grow. We are currently awaiting lab results from lake water samples to more fully understand the root cause or causes of the unpleasant odor. During this process, we have been in contact with the City of Glendale, the Club's membership and nearby residents to keep them informed of the actions we are taking. We hope to have a solution in place within a couple of weeks."
"I mean they say they're trying, frustrated though I guess at the results because they haven't happened yet," said Graham.
Residents now are left waiting, their patience though is running out.
"Enough is enough," Johnson-Bodine said. "Lets fix it and we can move forward. We're hoping they'll pay attention and instead of putting a band aid they'll actually solve the problem and prevent it from happening again."
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.