The air was metallic with a sulfur-like smell at the Bath Water Pollution Treatment Plant on Saturday, but the couples on the Valentine’s Day tour didn’t seem to mind. 

“This is such a cool opportunity,” Chris Holloway said, looping arms with partner Corinne Harvey. 

On the path to an industrial solid-liquid separation gyrator, the Gardiner couple held hands, listening intently to the tour director’s speech. 

It was the most unique Valentine’s Day they’d had in their decade-long relationship, Harvey said, but also one of the best. 

“We’ve never been big Valentine’s people,” Holloway said. “This seemed like a much more fun way to spend the day together.” 

As a couple, Holloway and Harvey enjoy learning how things work, especially infrastructure in Maine towns. 

“We’ve enjoyed going to adult education courses on the history of the timber industry and things like that,” Holloway said. 

In the dewatering room, also known as the “smelliest” room in the plant, one half of a couple held her nose by the screw press. 

The other didn’t. 

“He grew up on a farm, so I swear he doesn’t smell things normally,” Carolyn Aberg said of her partner. “He’s like, ‘that doesn’t smell’ and I’m like, ‘yes it does!’” 

Aberg’s partner, David Nichols, laughed alongside her.

“We drive past any farm and she has her hand over her nose,” he said. “She smells everything!” 

The Bath couple, who have been together for 35 years, chose to visit the Water Pollution Treatment Plant as a “fun and unique” Valentine’s Day date. 

Afterward, they planned to do something a little more traditional by going to lunch in downtown Bath. But as it was for the 18 other people on the 10:30 a.m. tour, the wastewater treatment plant was the big visit of the day. 

The plant decided to offer Valentine’s Day tours after a documentary featuring local Maine wastewater treatment plants gained popularity. 

The documentary featured Zac Perkins, who serves as Bath Water Pollution Treatment Plant chief operator. 

“It was a big hit,” Bath Wastewater Superintendent Bryan Levitt said. 

At a screening of the documentary, one of the filmmakers said he wanted to bring his wife to a Valentine’s Day tour of the plant. 

“The crowd just lit up and thought it was a great idea,” Levitt said. 

The plant started advertising the tour on Monday, and by Tuesday afternoon both tours were at capacity. A third tour was added on Wednesday; by the end of the day, that tour had also hit capacity. 

To Levitt, the sold-out tours said “a lot” about Bath and its people. 

“They love unconventional things and unique experiences,” he said. 

For tourgoers, the statement rings true. 

“I’m so glad we came,” Nichols said. “I think everyone should come to a treatment plant on Valentine’s Day.”