Nassau County will soon be testing its wastewater for dangerous pathogens and opioid drugs using services provided under new contracts recently approved by the Legislature’s Rules committee.
Under contracts that were authorized unanimously on October 7 and December 16, the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology (CCWT) will test 18 wastewater samples per week from nine sewage treatment plants in Nassau County for over 25 different drugs and metabolites, including opioids and illicit drugs, as well as measles, Vibrio cholera, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The county is paying for the services with $259,292 in opioid lawsuit settlement funds and $193,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) resources.
“By availing ourselves of these state-of-the-art resources, Nassau County is gaining access to vital data we can use to protect the public and swiftly respond to a health emergency such as a spike in opioid drugs or a measles outbreak,” Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) said. “This is an excellent use of opioid and ARPA funds, and I am happy the County is taking advantage of this cutting-edge technology.”