Anglian Water has agreed to a series of measures aimed at reducing odour, lorry movements and mud on roads around its Creek Fen water recycling centre in March.
The move follows a lengthy campaign from residents fed-up with being forced to stay indoors on hot days with windows closed due to the spillage of sewage by lorries going to the plant.
Some of those lorries have allegedly travelled carting sewage for treatment from as far afield as Wrexham in Wales.
Campaigner Gillian Barnes, from Creek Fen, said the commitments followed a “productive meeting” with the water company over concerns about the HGVs carrying treated waste to and from the site.
The treatment operation is currently paused for a six-week summer break and is expected to restart in mid-to-late September, residents were told.
Anglian Water has installed odour-suppression systems which it says will be used whenever liming work is carried out, to reduce smells in the surrounding area.
The company has also restricted lorries transporting treated waste to and from the facility to weekday hours between 7.30am and 6pm. These particular movements will no longer take place at weekends or on bank holidays.
However, residents have been told other vehicles will still need to access the water recycling centre outside those hours, including during emergency work, because it continues to handle wastewater from homes and businesses.
Contractors and Anglian Water drivers have been asked to observe a 30mph limit on Creek Road, while vehicles will be directed through a local holding area to help prevent convoys travelling on the narrow route.
The company has also said drivers must not park on Creek Road or elsewhere in March outside the agreed 7.30am to 6.30pm period, to avoid causing a nuisance.
A wheel-washing system has been installed to prevent material being carried from the site onto public roads. Anglian Water said the current hose arrangement was due to be upgraded to an HGV wheel washer by the end of August.
It has also told contractors to check vehicle-door seals and sheeting systems, while marshals managing movements from the holding area have been asked to be more stringent when releasing vehicles.
Anglian Water has agreed with the local highways authority to carry out temporary repairs to the road, ahead of developing a longer-term plan.
Road sweeping is also being funded twice a week on the stretch between the Eastover Road roundabout and the treatment works. Residents said the work had been carried out at around 6am, but this was due to change to 7am from next week.
The plant is located at the end of Creek Fen, a narrow route which has been the subject of concern about potholes, heavy vehicle traffic, deposits on the road and odour.
Gill, who has lived down Creek Fen since 2014, said the number of lorries travelling to the treatment plant had gone from the odd one or two a day to as many as 60 or more.
She said there are few residents living along Creek Fen which made getting action from Anglian Water harder.
"What can we do? There are just 10 bungalows and so it is hard to get anyone to listen to us, but we have now had this meeting and got this agreement after months of constantly complaining, and we are determined to make sure Anglian Water does what they say they are going to do," said Gill.
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She said a further meeting is now planned for Monday, November 9 at 7pm, at March Town Hall, when it is hoped all residents and businesses affected by the tankers visiting the plant, and the ensuing problems they cause, will attend to ensure Anglian Water is held to account.
In the meantime, people affected by the lorries, odour, and waste spillages on the town's roads are being encouraged to report them to the water company.
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