Yorkshire Water to take sewage samples to identify potential Covid outbreaks

The increased sampling will take place across Leeds, Sheffield and Rotherham.

All three cities are currently under the 'Very High' Tier 3 Covid alert system, due to coronavirus infection rates following the second national lockdown.

These Tier levels will be reviewed on Wednesday, December 16 - and Leeds City Council has indicated to the Government that it believes Leeds should move into Tier 2.

Workers at Yorkshire Water will take the samples from manholes across the cities.

As part of the government project, they will then send the samples to be used as part of studies conducted by Defra, JBC and the Environment Agency.

The studies will detect and quantify Covid-19 markers within the sewage flowing through Yorkshire Water’s network, as research has indicated fragments of genetic material from the virus can be detected in wastewater.

The results will be used to help researchers understand the presence of Covid-19 in the population.

This includes identifying those who are asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic.

James Harrison, head of wastewater asset management at Yorkshire Water, said: “We’re stepping up Covid-19 sampling as part of a government programme to analyse sewage to try to detect outbreaks of the virus earlier.

"The samples will be handed over for testing for markers of Covid-19, which cannot cause infection, but do indicate infection within the population.

“Our teams will be out and about taking samples in Sheffield, Leeds and Rotherham for the next 20 weeks, so people may see us more often in the coming months.

“We appreciate the help and cooperation of our customers and we will try to limit any inconvenience.

"As part of the sampling process we may need to access manholes within gardens or places of business but will not need to come into homes or business properties.”