Access Canberra said only 14 complaints have been lodged about a foul smell in Tuggeranong from last July until March 7 this year. A total of 100 complaints have been made since November 2015.

However residents contacted by Fairfax Media say the falling complaints speaks less to efforts to address the smell than the futility of speaking out about it.

Longtime Fadden resident Richard Larkey, whose plight was featured in the Canberra Times in 2015 and 2016, said the stench returned this week.

He made a formal complaint to Access Canberra calling for urgent action, but has heard nothing.

"At least one other person I spoke to said it was revolting and she was going to lodge a complaint too," Mr Larkey said.

"It's not as frequent as it used to be but it's just as bad."

Another Tuggeranong resident, Jess Nicholson, said her complaints have also fallen on deaf ears.

"It started to get really bad about a year and a half ago, we got a letter saying there were going to be remedial works but from that point onwards it's been an intermittent problem," Ms Nicholson said.

"It's the worst at times when it's been raining a lot, followed by hot weather, followed by more rain.

"Over January it was quite bad, it was at its worst when I'd get up for work at 6am but it was usually gone by 10am, 11am. I've rarely smelt it at night.

"Six months after the letter I wrote to the minister at the time and they said it's not within my jurisdiction, contact the people who run the tip. I have a feeling it's owned by the government but they don't run it.

"Personally why would I waste more time complaining when they show no interest in fixing it. People are just sick of complaining and hearing them they 'it's a tip, it's going to smell'."

Ms Nicholson said the smell had affected plans to sell her house.

"When the smell first started, we were going to sell our house, not for that reason, but one agent who came early one day said to use you can't have an open house in the morning, it would devalue your house," Ms Nicholson said.

Tuggeranong Community Council president Glenys Patulny said she hadn't heard any complaints about the smell in the last week but was aware it was a recurring issue.

"People say it's intermittent, it depends on which way the wind is blowing. Often I get a lot of [complaints] about it secondhand but I can't name a particular person who's complained about it to me personally," she said.

Complaints about the putrid, "rotting vegetable" stench have been well documented since at least 2014, with many Tuggeranong residents blaming the nearby Mugga Lane tip.

The smell has been so bad that in some cases, residents have considered moving.

An Access Canberra spokeswoman said the source of the smell was being pursued as a "priority".

"The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) within Access Canberra has engaged with the affected residents in an effort to identify the source of the odour and to obtain more information about the nature and frequency of the odour but has noted a significant reduction in concerns raised," she said.

"To date, no definitive source of the odour has been identified. While there is no definitive technical test for odour the EPA continues to work with the landfill operators and local residents on this issue.

"To further support reduction in concerns the EPA has requested the waste be covered with soil at the end of each operational day at the landfill site by operators.

"Significant remedial works have also been undertaken around additional capping at the site."