BREAKING NEWS - COUNCIL TO FUND SEWAGE PLANT TESTING

In a statement released by Lachlan Shire Council today, Mayor John Medcalf OAM advised that Council is taking a proactive approach to protecting the community and this week, Council has engaged the services of Melbourne based ALS Water to undertake sample testing of the Shire’s sewage treatment plants.

Mayor Medcalf said “The NSW Sewage Surveillance Program, that you hear about in the media is managed and funded by NSW Health for areas that have/or have had confirmed COVID-19 cases or are areas of concern. At present, the Lachlan Shire Council is lucky enough to not meet this criteria and so there has been no testing of the sewer to date. Council has been advised that the program is in great demand, with finite resources and is being used in a very strategic manner under the direction of the NSW Chief Health Officer.

The surveillance program that Council is starting will test untreated sewage from the Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo and Tottenham sewage treatment plants for fragments of the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus at an approximate cost of $2,700 per cycle plus staff costs. Should fragments be detected during surveillance Council will immediately advise NSW Health.”

Testing sewage can help track infections and provide early warning of an increase in infections; potentially give an estimate of undetected infections in the community, and provide data to support Council and government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is an anxious time for many in the community and Council ask that you remain calm, support each other and comply with the current Stay-at-Home order.