IT seems there is no place the fight against ice will not go.
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Wannon Water has announced a feasibility study into a new project that will estimate the rates of illicit drug and alcohol use by testing sewage samples.
General manager of community and corporate at Wannon Water Kellie King said similar work in sewer testing began in Queensland in 2009 and has since started in Melbourne and Perth.
“At the moment we are looking at the feasibility of rolling out this type of testing in the south-west region,” Ms King said.
“It will be about looking at cost and scale and over the next 12 months we will work through some detailed questions.
“It is not about zeroing in on one area of the town, it will be a community-wide focus.”
Wannon Water announced it was beginning the feasibility study at the Great South Coast Ice Challenge project launch last week.
A Corangamite team within the challenge structure will help drive the project.
Sergeant Sally Slingsby from Camperdown police is part of the team.
She said the partnership between Wannon Water and the ice challenge was a positive sign.
“Dealing with ice in our community is something everyone needs to work together on,” Sergeant Slingsby said.
“No one organisation can do it on its own, we all need to pitch in. It is important to have a variety of projects so we can tackle this problem from as many angles as we can.”
Other projects identified by the Corangamite team include a roadside awareness campaign and a bin sticker competition.
Transportable roadside billboards warning against the use of illicit drugs is the key focus of the road awareness campaign.
“The plan is to place those billboards in the most prominent places we can,” Sergeant Slingsby said.
“That would be alongside the busiest thoroughfares and roads. We are also hoping to have the billboards on display at major events in the south-west like the May Races and the Port Fairy Folk Festival.”
The bin sticker competition will aim to get stickers made to put onto household wheelie bins.
Those taking part would then go into a draw with the winner having their annual rates waived.
“These stickers would help get the message out to the streets of towns,” Sergeant Slingsby said.
“The more the word gets out there the more we hope people will take ownership and really want to make a difference. We need to spread that message about the dangers of illicit drugs.”