Wastewater surveillance is a rapidly evolving tool that can be used to detect pathogens present in the wastewater, serving as an early warning system for local health departments (LHDs) to respond to public health threats in their communities. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is committed to supporting LHDs in implementing and expanding wastewater surveillance efforts in their jurisdictions by providing technical assistance and sharing tools and resources. Keep reading to learn about recently published wastewater surveillance resources.
NACCHO: Wastewater Surveillance Resource Library Updates
NACCHO’s Wastewater Surveillance Resource Library compiles a variety of resources on wastewater surveillance for LHDs and contains background information, guidance documents, communications materials, and more. Check out the latest resources added to the resource library, including sample dashboards, a utility engagement toolkit, communities of practice, and more from cities, counties, and state and national partners.
NASEM: Increasing the Utility of Wastewater-based Disease Surveillance for Public Health Action
In January 2023, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a consensus study report, Wastewater-based Disease Surveillance for Public Health Action. At the request of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a committee of experts was assembled by NASEM to review the utility of wastewater surveillance and the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as recommendations for increasing utility of this national system. The study was commissioned by NACCHO and produced the Phase 1 report to summarize its findings. Read about the high-level takeaways from the Phase 1 report here.
For Phase 2 of the study, published in September 2024, the committee reviewed the technical constraints and potential improvements needed for wastewater surveillance to prevent and control infectious diseases in the U.S. The Phase 2 report, Increasing the Utility of Wastewater-based Disease Surveillance for Public Health Action, recommends improving the consistency and quality of national wastewater testing and suggests research and technology development needs to strengthen the national system.
CDC: New Wastewater Viral Activity Level Data for Influenza A and RSV Viral Activity
In September 2024, CDC released new wastewater viral activity level data for influenza A and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). This data is the result of a new wastewater metric, the Wastewater Viral Activity Level (WVAL), that was developed in 2023 and allows for site level data to be aggregated at the state, regional, and national levels. The WVAL indicates if the amount of virus present in community wastewater is one of the following categories: minimal, low, moderate, high, or very high. Explore this data, as well as new data visualizations, on CDC’s Respiratory Illness Data Channel and NWSS webpages.
For more information on NACCHO’s work in this area, including our signature wastewater surveillance mentorship program, visit www.naccho.org/wash.
