Two weeks after the Ontario government announced it would scrap its wastewater surveillance to monitor COVID-19, health officials in Peterborough may pay to keep the program running locally.

The $15-million program was launched in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to assist in monitoring the level of COVID-19 in a population. Funded by the Ministry of the Environment, the program is run by universities and research sites across the province.

The program is expected to end on July 31, coming on the heels of an expanded federal testing program. The province says the shutdown will “avoid duplication” with the federal program.

However, Peterborough Public Health’s medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott says the federal program won’t reach the city and area. He called the province’s decision “deeply disappointing.”

“Peterborough would be left out. We know that the data here does not follow the same pattern as Toronto or Ottawa, we’re halfway between,” Piggott said Thursday. “And we have a very different pattern of transmission.”

The health unit and Trent University have been working together on testing wastewater samples for COVID-19 since December 2020. Samples sent to the university’s DNA building came from communities from Peterborough east to Belleville, including from many long-term care facilities.

The health unit says the “high-quality” data helped officials make better-informed decisions for public health during the pandemic and allowed individuals to make informed choices about their personal health.