A ''vile'' smell has been blowing through Waikouaiti the past few days, triggering an investigation by the Otago Regional Council.
The smell was described by one southern Waikouaiti resident, who did not want to be named, as ''overwhelming'' and enough to make people gag.
''It's rank. There is just this overwhelming smell throughout the house.''
It was first noticed on Monday and the southwesterly appeared to be pushing the odour across the town, rather than away from it, she said.
The council's pollution line had received two complaints of odour in the town, alleging it might come from the Mainland Poultry farm.
A council staff member said staff would investigate the complaints today by visiting the site, to determine if the odour was coming from the farm.
If it was not, they would look for other possible causes.
Mainland Poultry representatives could not be contacted yesterday.
