The Minister of Environment and Climate Change has announced a new initiative that will help to detect the presence of COVID-19 in an area by testing local wastewater, and talks are underway to expand the program beyond the Northeast Avalon.

The program was initiated during the February outbreak in the St. John’s and Mount Pearl area.

The Riverhead Wastewater Treatment Facility in St. John’s treats the wastewater of some 130,000 people in St. John’s, Mount Pearl, and Paradise.

Of the 24 wastewater samples taken, only two tested positive for COVID-19—both during the peak infection timeframe in February. All samples taken since February have tested negative.

Wastewater testing allows officials to detect the presence of the virus in a large population. According to the department, the testing can provide early warning of positive and asymptomatic cases in a particular community and a working group is now exploring the possibility of expanding the program to other areas.