Lower Hutt residents are desperately calling for a terrible stench from a local wastewater plant to stop.
The problem is so bad some have been made physically sick, and others refuse to open their windows.
And one adviser to the council even jokingly suggested everyone should stop pooing.
It's a rare day out in the backyard for these Lower Hutt locals, who're usually stuck inside because of a horrible smell.
"It's a smell so strong you can feel it hit you it's like you're being slapped in the face with a wet used diaper," local resident Josh Boyce said.
"It's kinda like your mate does a fart in the car with the windows up, in New Zealand we call that hotboxing," fellow resident Alan Burgess added.
The stench they're referring to comes from a wastewater treatment plant, which has received hundreds of complaints from fed-up residents this year.
"It really affects our lives. We can't use our backyard, we can't even use the local school to play sports," local resident Kylie Hood said.
"You come home from work wanting to relax, and the stench is so bad you can't do that," Alex Beavis said.
The site is run by Wellington Water, Hutt City Council and Upper Hutt Council, which were slapped with a $70,000 fine earlier this month for the smell.
The main cause of the odour is a maintenance project that's going on at the site to replace what's called a biofilter, which helps to control the bad smell. That project isn't due to wrap up until February.
Back in November the Hutt City Council met to discuss the issue.
"Is there anything else we could do? Stop pooing, thank you! I'll let everyone know," one council adviser joked.
That comment didn't go down well with these locals.
"Really insulting and annoying, because we have to live with it, they don't have to live with it, so why should we have to live with it," Boyce's daughter said.
"That is pretty frustrating. It's a slap in the face to residents and local businesses," Beavis said.
Wellington Water said in a statement that it acknowledges the odour levels have been unpleasant, inconvenient, and distressful.
And it said that Hutt City Council has included proposed upgrades and improvements in its long-term plan.
But that's not good enough for those who want action now.
"Stop spending money on the gilttery and start spending money on the infrastructure that needs to be done now," Burgess said.
"It's not a case of we don't want it here, we just want it to function properly," Beavis said.
They're especially hoping it'll be functioning properly by January 5 when the Juicy Fest is due to be held at Hutt Park
