WA Health is developing a program to test the State’s wastewater for evidence of the COVID-19 virus.
The Collaboration on Sewage Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 project has been set up to track and monitor for traces of the COVID-19 virus in the sewage network.
While WA Health leads the program, testing will be undertaken by PathWest, providing an opportunity for robust evaluation and review of the role of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 in Western Australia.
The Water Corporation and Water Research Australia are also partners in the exercise.
Minister for Health, Roger Cook said the evaluation would aim to answer questions such as what were the best sites to test, the testing frequency and interpreting the information.
“Importantly, this program will be informed by public health data and knowledge to complement the State’s public health follow-up,” Mr Cook said.
“Individual testing of people at COVID clinics and other collection facilities is the mainstay of detection for COVID-19, but wastewater testing will enhance this as it samples a large proportion of the population with each test.”
He said the Water Corporation began collecting samples from metropolitan wastewater treatment plants in April in readiness for testing, with PathWest currently validating the testing methods and preparing for regular testing.
Testing is expected to begin within the next month.
