Nova Scotia's municipal leaders were warned Friday to prepare for employee absentee rates of up to 30 per cent because of the ongoing swine flu outbreak.

Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief public health officer, told municipal leaders that they had better have a flu plan in place because one-third of their employees could be falling sick over the next two to three months

Speaking Friday at the annual meeting of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, Strang pointed out that residents will still need snow removal, garbage pickup and clean drinking water — not to mention police and fire service.

Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly said there is a plan in place for the province's largest municipality, with nearly 400,000 residents.

"We'll have people on call for overtime — whatever the case may be. It may incur more costs, but it will be business as usual, as best as it can be. Will it be perfect? Maybe not," he said.

Lloyd Hines, warden of Guysborough County, said his much smaller municipality, with a population of about 10,000, is also ready for the outbreak.

"Each department head has looked at their responsibilities and have crossed delegated and ... looked at vacation time and all those issues there," Hines said.

He added he is going to cross his fingers and hope this second wave of swine flu doesn't hang around too long.

There's only one problem with that, Dr. Stang said, because there is a possibility of a third wave.

So he had some more advice for municipal leaders: step up office cleaning, keep employees a metre from the public if possible, and encourage them to stay home if they're sick.