Sewerage testing in Scone but not other towns

UPPER Hunter Shire Council has issued a media release stating that while Scone will begin sewerage testing, other major towns in the Shire will not.

The State government will fund the testing in Scone based on populations of concern, however Hunter New England Health advised last year that Councils can undertake their own testing at any stage (Read: Sewerage testing to begin).

The reported costs of testing is approximately $10,000 annually.

Greg McDonald, general manager of Upper Hunter Shire Council, said the decision to expand the sewage testing to Scone and not other localities within the Shire was solely made by NSW Health.

“Council requested that NSW Health consider extending their Sewage Surveillance Program to all four sewerage networks within the Shire. However, NSW Health has only committed to extend the testing to Scone at this stage,” Mr McDonald said.

“It is important to remember that testing for COVID-19 fragments in sewage is a specialised test and currently in high demand across the state,” he said.

“Testing locations are decided based on areas of concern with advice from the NSW Chief Health Officer and other NSW Health officials,” said Greg McDonald.