A new bill could require California to test wastewater in Central Valley

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado introduced the Wastewater Surveillance Act to address the lack of monitoring for H5N1 bird flu in high-risk communities in California’s Central Valley, where dairy and poultry operations are concentrated. The bill would expand the state’s wastewater network to include all counties, prioritizing underserved areas. Hurtado’s motivation stems from the high number of infections in dairy herds and workers in the Central Valley, highlighting the urgent need for monitoring in this region.

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