The City of Augusta has announced the latest developments from its partnership with the Greater Augusta Utility District to test for the presence of COVID-19 in local wastewater.
Brian Tarbuck, general manager of GAUD said:
Our primary goal is to keep the community safe. This proactive approach is something larger cities across the country are doing to help residents and business owners stay informed about the amount of COVID-19 in the community… The routine test results will be shared regularly at augustamaine.gov.
The routine testing determines the amount of COVID-19 in the community to help local officials make decisions related to re-opening.
Wastewater testing is easier and more cost-effective than individual human testing to determine the scope of a future outbreak.
The wastewater tested will come from thousands of homeowners, commercial establishments and industries in Augusta, Hallowell, Manchester, Monmouth and Winthrop. It is collected through a system of underground pipes that flow into a wastewater collection system.
