Bega approved as new COVID-19 sewage sampling site

27 August 2021

Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Cr Russell Fitzpatrick has confirmed the Bega Sewage Treatment Plant will be included in the NSW COVID-19 Surveillance Program as of next week.

NSW Health has approved a request from Council to expand the sampling area following detection of COVID-19 virus fragments at the Merimbula Sewage Treatment Plant on Wednesday.

Staff at the Bega plant will begin providing samples to the NSW Health Water Unit on Monday 30 August, adding to other sampling sites in Merimbula, Eden and Bermagui.

Cr Fitzpatrick said the move to include Bega in the sampling area was welcome as it covers a highly populated part of the shire.

“Including the Bega Sewage Treatment Plant as an additional sampling site will significantly increase our chances of getting an early warning should any cases emerge in the shire,” Cr Fitzpatrick said.

“This again shows NSW Health are taking the potential for outbreaks in regional NSW seriously, and I would like to thank them for continuing to work with us to protect our community.

“And if you have any symptoms, even mild ones, please get tested and isolate until you have the results.”

For more information on current sewage testing sites in NSW, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/nsw-covid-19-case-locations/sewage-testing

For more information about COVID-19, including current health advice and testing locations, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19