A new working group has been established to measure for coronavirus prevalence in waste water.
The group includes a range of water companies and experts across the UK who will conduct sewage monitoring as part of an advance warning system to detect new outbreaks of coronavirus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is clear there is currently no evidence to show that coronavirus can be or has been transmitted through sewerage systems but new research findings have found that fragments of genetic material from the COVID-19 virus can be detected in waste water. It is hoped that this could be used to detect the presence of the virus in the population including those who are pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic.
Sampling from sewage treatment works across the UK is due to begin soon, with data being used to feed back into the COVID-19 alert system created by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC).
The UK Research and Innovation, the Natural Environment Research Council and water companies are all working with the government and the devolved administration partners to develop and test this cutting-edge approach.
Work in the UK is being co-ordinated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency and the JBC.
In Wales a number of options to support specific waste water monitoring projects are being assessed to support the UK's programme.
Already in Scotland Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has begun analysis of the first waste water samples taken in the project.
The government say more details will be released as the working groups project develops.
