Some Fort Meade residents are dealing with a smelly situation.

In fact, the problem has grown so bad, city officials are discussing taking the company creating the smell to court.

Trucks filled with sludge from nearby communities converge daily on the Biosolids Distribution Services plant on the edge of Fort Meade. And the odor arrives at the plant, located at 1491 N.W. 14th St, with them.

"If you have ever smelled a pig farm, that would smell good compared to what this would smell like," said Clayton Frazier, who operates a Badcock furniture store in the area.

Frazier, who said the smell is strong enough to drive customers away, said it almost makes him sick.

"It almost makes you want to throw up."

Residents Billy Willis and Robert Streeter agreed, Saying the smell is awful. Streeter said the smell makes him retreat indoors

"It'll take your breath," Streeter said. "It's just that bad sometimes."

The city has gotten so many complaints it is considering legal action against the plant.

Biosolids President Tom Anderson said the smell was only bad for a few weeks. Anderson said the company has fixed the problem by limiting how much sludge is brought into the plant at one time.  

He added the company would fight any legal action.

Fort Meade officials have sent the company a sewer bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars. But company officials say their service was supposed to be free in exchange for removing sludge from the city.

That issue may be contested in court as well.

Meanwhile, Streeter said he'll wait inside while the smelly problem is hashed out.

"Sometimes it'll take your breath," he said. "And you have to just get up and go in the house."