Lime Treatment in Front of American Emanates Pungent Smell

Construction workers share their knowledge on the smell coming from the front of American

Allan Sainz

Staff Writer

    Students have recently been complaining about the disturbing smell originating from the front of American High’s campus.

    This smell comes from an unknown source, but many have suspected that it is from the dirt or the raw material used to construct the buildings.

    “It smells like a wet dog that’s been rolling in chemicals,” Megan Thomas (11) said.

    Many students walk to and from school by the sidewalk right next to the construction area and  have to deal with the construction smell.

    “I think the school should hurry up with the construction, because the students don’t like the smell,” Esther Nguyen (12) said.

    The Construction Manager and Project Engineer explained where the smell is originating, and why it is there in the first place.

    “Essentially what the smell is, is the lime treatment. In order to process a project and get it done faster,”  Construction Manager Julio Hernandez said. “We mix it with the dirt because the ground has to be at a certain moisture level for it to be able to be compacted.”

    The lime treatment is necessary to the procedure as it prepares the ground for construction and assures that the buildings will not collapse.

    “You get used to the smell after a while; it’s only if you walk to the left of the construction area is when you really smell it because of the wind,” Project Engineer Verna Van said. “We can’t stop the smell because it’s so crucial to the construction, the only way is if it becomes a hazard to the students.”

    As the construction moves on to different procedures, it will become a greater nuisance to students at American High.

    “Later on, instead of smells, students are going to notice all the hammering, loud noises, trucks coming in, and welding,” Hernandez said.

    Although the smell will affect students for the time being, the construction team assured that the school the smell fade away.

    “Eventually [the smell] will dissipate and go away,” Van said. “I don’t think it’ll be there forever.”