I drove on West Main Street Tuesday afternoon and looked to the left and quickly noticed that the new big gray dome is up at the sewage treatment plant.

Minutes later, I had a voicemail message from Norwich Public Utilities spokesman Mike Hughes saying the new digester lid has been inflated at the treatment plant. He wanted to let me know, because it would be quite visible.

No kidding. The digester dome is part of a $100 million sewage treatment upgrade under way at the treatment plant and elsewhere along the sewer system. The project is separating sewer and storm drains and improving capacity at the plant – good for attracting new businesses to the city.

Even more important to many residents and some very key businesses, the new gray dome should cut down that awful smell that sometimes invades the Norwich Harbor area.

“It will reduce odors at the harbor,” Hughes said. “That’s something we wanted to pay attention to.”

Good timing, I said to Mike Hughes, with the new owner of the Marina at American Wharf moving in.

Hope you like the color. You picked it. NPU held an open house at the treatment plant a few years back and asked residents to vote for a color on the dome. Residents picked a light gray, maybe hoping it would blend into the skyline.

On Tuesday’s gray afternoon with a light drizzle, the dome was very visible. I suspect you can’t really hide something like that.