Wastewater Covid testing expanded to all Wales

A Welsh government-led programme to test wastewater for Covid has been expanded significantly. to cover all the country’s health boards and local authorities.

The expansion followed the installation of automated monitoring equipment at all of Wales' wastewater treatment works. Originally only 19 plants were involved.

The tests were key to the early detection of the Omicron wave across Wales and scientists have now suggested the tests could be used to monitor for other viruses.

The process of identifying coronavirus in wastewater was initially developed by scientists from Bangor University, working in partnership with the Welsh government, Cardiff University and the two water companies serving the country, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy.

The government’s chief scientific adviser for health, Rob Orford, said: “We are keen to continue to explore how wastewater can play an important part of our future testing strategy as we begin to move from pandemic to endemic.

“Wastewater also has some exciting potential beyond Covid-19 and could be used to monitor the levels of many other viruses like influenza and anti-microbial resistance” he said.