The Canberra Liberals have questioned whether methods to test odours at the capital's main tip are failing to protect residents, as investigations by Icon Water found no evidence sewage was to blame for the Fadden smells.
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Liberals environment spokeswoman Nicole Lawder said she had received more than five complaints about odour in the area since several residents spoke out about an increasingly regular stink a week ago.
Ms Lawder, a Fadden resident who had not personally had an issue, had little confidence in the "sniff test" method used by the landfill's contractors.
"I am surprised and a bit disappointed, especially with a residential area quite close by," she said.
"It could be that that was a system that served them well up to this time, but is it now time to move towards a better solution?
"Is it possible, for example, to use a thermal camera that might detect leaks?"
Investigations by ACT NOWaste and the Environment Protection Authority in recent months had indicated the odour was not coming from the Mugga Lane tip site, a government spokesman said on December 11.
Contractors managing the tip gauged odour levels with "a scientific method and it is in effect a 'sniff' test".
"The method involves forming an odour panel which consists of a panel of people sniffing an odour at different concentration levels," he said.
On Saturday the spokesman said the protection authority intended to explore alternative testing methods, as it continued to try and locate the odour source.
"This will involve consulting with other jurisdictions in relation to their detection and measurement systems, particularly the use of emerging technologies in the field," he said.
Access Canberra's contact centre had received two complaints on the issue in June and November, but none since last Sunday, he said.
Icon Water customer and community affairs manager Lisa Quinn said a crew, responding to Sunday's media complaints, had visited the Fadden Hills home of Richard Larkey on Monday night and found no evidence of sewer main issues or an unusual smell.
"The whole street was investigated and no faults were identified," she said.
No public sewage smells had been identified anywhere in Fadden or Macarthur, and no other complaints received this week. The government had also referred the matter to Icon Water due to tip workers' report of "a sewage smell".
The government spokesman said odour levels at the tip were mainly managed by covering the waste with soil – to a depth of 30 centimetres for closed sections – and treating the leachate and landfill gases, he said.
An on-site commercial deodoriser was diluted and sprayed from a water cart when necessary.
"The leachate at Mugga Lane landfill is highly diluted and unlikely to be a source of odour," he said.
"The landfill gas is collected through a system of wells and pipes and burned to generate enough electricity to power over 3000 houses."
Mr Larkey said the putrid odour, which was not around every day, occurred during still conditions or when there was a gentle easterly.
Public submissions for the development application to expand the tip site through the creation of three new cells, extending the tip's capacity to 2024, closed on Wednesday.
