Christchurch City Council says the work should be completed today.
The contractor, Southern Demolition and Salvage, is removing and transporting truckloads of the material to the Kate Valley landfill in North Canterbury.
Helen Beaumont, head of the Council’s three waters, said she was pleased with how quickly the contractors were able to complete the work.
“The dripping filters were a major source of the odors during the warm, wet weather earlier this year,” Beaumont said, “and clearing these structures is an important milestone in our recovery from the November fire.”
She said they were also encouraged by the early biological advances they saw in the new activated sludge treatment system.
“The oxidation ponds were the main cause of the odors, but as the better quality wastewater makes its way through the ponds in the coming weeks, we will see their health gradually improve.
“The odor levels will drop significantly as a result.”
The municipality said the current temporary solution had a design life of five years and was expected to last two to five years, depending on how long it took to rebuild or replace the trickle filters.