Sewer Spill Response
Sewage pollution from stormwater and leaking septic tanks is a common cause of environmental pollution, especially during and after rain events. It threatens urban and recreational waterways by increasing environmental and public health risks because human-contaminated water can carry harmful pathogens that cause disease and ecological damage.
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Water testing for infectious agents and markers of human sewage contamination is an important tool for the management of urban and recreational waterways impacted by compromised stormwater and septic infrastructure. When a pollution event is suspected, measures are undertaken to confirm the pollutant and decontaminate the water. These operations are expensive and laborious. Furthermore, traditional testing methods for waterborne pathogens are slow, costly and inefficient.

Introducing the
ZiP-Bactx-P2
Test System
The ZiP-Bactx-P2 test system targets the human-associated Bacteroides HF183 16S rRNA genetic marker. It can rapidly detect human sewage overflow and leaks directly in drains, creeks, rivers and bays. It provides a positive or negative result in a semi-quantitative format.
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​​When utilising spatial and temporal sampling strategies, this enables field operation teams to:
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Track the extent and range of contamination.
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Use semi-quantitative outputs to guide source investigations.
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Verify the impact of mitigations using digital reporting and geospatial mapping.