Wastewater Monitoring Resource Library
Wastewater monitoring is a rapidly evolving tool that can be used to test for SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens, serving as an early warning system for local health departments and government officials to identify and respond to public health threats in their communities. This toolkit contains background information on wastewater monitoring, guidance documents, communications materials, examples of dashboards, and more.
- Community of Practice: Fostering Local Wastewater Monitoring Network (FLoW-Net) Community of Practice (February 2025)
- Brief: Lessons Learned from NACCHO’s Wastewater Monitoring Mentorship Program - Local Health Departments Share Best Practices (July 2024)
- Brief: Strengthening Local Capacity for Wastewater Monitoring - How a Mentorship Program Supported Local Health Departments Responding to COVID-19 (April 2023)
- Infographic: Wastewater Monitoring: What's SARS-CoV-2 Got to Do with It? (2021)
- Webinar Recording | Slides: Through COVID-19 and Beyond: The Roles of National & Local Wastewater Monitoring Systems (August 2022)
| Resource Name | Description |
|---|---|
*Newly Added* Reference Database: Wastewater Monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Public Health Threats (National Science Foundation Research Coordination Network) |
This reference database is a continually updated compilation of peer-reviewed literature and resources on WWM. Resources can be filtered based on subject-matter, such as antimicrobial resistance, modeling, or health communications. |
*Newly Added* Framework for Addressing Ethical Considerations in Infectious Diseases Public Health Wastewater Monitoring (ASTHO) |
This framework provides guidance for health departments and other WWM partners in addressing ethical issues while conducting WWM. It was developed through convening a workgroup, an in-person workshop, and focus groups to gain perspectives from across the field. |
*Newly Added* Perspective: The Potential of Wastewater-Based Monitoring as an Economically Feasible Game Changer in Reducing the Global Burden of Pediatric Respiratory Synctial Virus Infection (Frontiers in Public Health) |
This article uses a cost-consequence model to assess the economic value of wastewater monitoring when used to detect pediatric RSV in Canada. |
*Newly Added* The Value of Environmental Monitoring for Pandemic Response (Scientific Reports) |
This article estimated the cost-benefit per person of using wastewater monitoring to monitor for viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, particularly noting cost savings from reductions of hospitalizations and healthcare expenditures. |
*Newly Added* Implementation of Neighborhood-Level Wastewater-Based Epidemiology to Measure and Mitigate Inequities in SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Boston, Massachusetts (American Journal of Public Health) |
This paper shares the results and recommendations of Boston Public Health Commission's neighborhood-level wastewater monitoring program implemented to reduce COVID-19 inequities. |
*Newly Added* Pathogen Fact Sheets (Water Environment Federation) |
These fact sheets are designed to provide wastewater utility providers with an overview of pathogens found in wastewater and what the detection of a specific pathogen means for worker safety and operations. Fact sheets are available on influenza, measles, Mpox, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), SARS-CoV-2, and more. |
*Newly Added* How Local Health Departments Use Wastewater Monitoring for Public Health Planning and Intervention in New York State (BMC Public Health) |
This paper provides an overview of how local health departments are using wastewater monitoring for public health planning and action, compiled through a survey and in-depth interviews. |
| Strengthening Public Health Through Wastewater Testing: An Essential Investment for the COVID-19 Pandemic and Future Health Threats (World Bank Group) | This report explores the value, potential, and challenges of wastewater testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Latin America and the Caribbean, including in areas without a sanitary sewerage system. Providing examples from across the world, the report also outlines what countries should consider in creating a national wastewater monitoring program as part of their broader efforts to control the impacts of COVID-19. |
| Environmental Health Perspectives journal paper | This paper discusses ways to transform the principles of wastewater monitoring into a tool for epidemic response. The paper provides a summary of lessons learned from a global network of wastewater researchers for effective implementation. |
| CDC NWSS | The landing page for the CDC's NWSS, developed by CDC to build wastewater monitoring capacity nationwide. |
| EPA Compendium | This document created by the EPA summarizes the existing information on wastewater monitoring programs in the US. This document includes case studies from Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Wyoming, Hampton Roads Sanitation District (Virginia), Houston (Texas), Tempe (Arizona), Clemson University (South Carolina), and University of Arizona (Tucson). |
| APHL Guide | This document from the Association of Public Health Laboratories outlines information for how to establish wastewater testing in public health laboratories. |
| Utility Engagement Toolkit for Health Departments & Labs (Water Environment Federation) | This toolkit provides guidance for health departments and labs to better collaborate with their utility partners to conduct wastewater monitoring. Content in this toolkit covers utility recruitment and retention as well as recommendations for effective communication. |
| New Uses of Wastewater Data on High-Risk Substances: Emerging Drug Detection, Overdose Prediction, and Drug Policy Evaluation (Mathematica) | In this publication, read about how Mathematica partnered with partnered with Biobot Analytics and the nonprofit Washington / Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area to conduct a demonstration project in five counties across four states (California, Kentucky, New Jersey, and West Virginia) to see if wastewater data could serve as an important tool in preventing drug overdoses in a community. |
| Lessons Learned from NACCHO's Mentorship Program (NACCHO) | Read about the 2023 cohort of NACCHO's wastewater monitoring mentorship program, as well as lessons learned and recommendations from both the 2022 and 2023 cohorts of the program. |
| Environmental Science & Technology paper | This 2023 study explores the applicability of wastewater monitoring for C. auris in a locality. |
| Houston Wastewater Epidemiology - Schools and Neighborhoods | Houston Health Department is a CDC NWSS Center of Excellence that has launched a pilot program to share alerts with the local school district for viral levels of pathogens detected at school campuses. This webpage shares research and communications materials related to this. |
| Phase 1 Report: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | NASEM's Phase 1 Consensus Study Report reviews the usefulness of community-level wastewater monitoring during the pandemic and assesses its potential value for control and prevention of infectious diseases beyond COVID-19. Report commissioned by NACCHO. |
| Phase 2 Report: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | NASEM's Phase 2 Consensus Study Report examines the technical constraints and opportunities to improve wastewater monitoring for the prevention and control of infectious diseases in the U.S. |
| Resource Name | Description |
|---|---|
*Newly Added* Communications Toolkit on Wastewater Monitoring (New York State Wastewater Surveillance Network) |
This toolkit provides templates, resources, and recommendations for communicating WWM materials, data, and guidance with a variety of audiences. |
| Chautauqua County Wastewater Monitoring Press Release | A template of a press release from Chautauqua County detailing wastewater monitoring process and updates.* |
| "Poop Don't Lie" Wastewater Monitoring Marketing Campaign (Santa Clara County Public Health) | View an example of how Santa Clara County Public Health developed a marketing campaign to engage their local community in wastewater monitoring. This campaign won California Water Environment Association's Program of the Year Award. |
| Resource Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Chautauqua County SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Analysis Dashboard | ArcGIS dashboard for wastewater monitoring updates. |
| COVID-19 Data Monitoring in the United States (CDC) | Maps, charts, and data representing all wastewater data submitted by health departments to CDC's NWSS' DCIPHER platform in efforts to identify, prevent, and control the spread of COVID-19. |
| City of Tempe Wastewater Dashboard | In an effort to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19, the City of Tempe and Arizona State University have worked on creating a dashboard that displays emerging research about the "COVID-19 gene copies per liter" measured within collection areas throughout the city. |
| California Wastewater Dashboard | California Department of Public Health is a CDC NWSS Center of Excellence. View their statewide dashboard for COVID-19 as an example of data visualization, and explore their other resources, including an FAQ and toolkit. |
| CDC's Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel | CDC's data channel for respiratory virus activity in the United States. The Wastewater Viral Activity Level (WVAL) data for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) indicate whether the amount of virus in wastewater for specific respiratory illnesses is minimal, low, moderate, high, or very high for a community. |
| Resource Name | Description |
|---|---|
| NACCHO FLoW-Net | NACCHO's Community of Practice engaging local health departments (LHDs) interested in wastewater monitoring, regardless of their experience level. FLoW-Net provides a platform for LHDs to request and offer technical assistance, share resources, and collaborate on addressing existing and emerging public health concerns. NACCHO will host virtual monthly meetings for FLoW-Net members to hear from local jurisdictions and subject-matter experts. |
| APHL Community of Practice | This community of practice is for laboratory scientists to discuss best practices, share questions, and learn from partners on topics related to wastewater monitoring. |
| Water Environment Federation Wastewater Monitoring Focus Group | Join this focus group to exchange insights and resources related to wastewater monitoring for public health. The WSFG is part of WEF’s Disinfection and Public Health Community, a group dedicated to advancing WEF’s educational efforts around wastewater disinfection and public health issues. |
| Resource Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Chautauqua County Weekly Update | An example of a weekly wastewater monitoring report for SARS-CoV-2 in Chautauqua County* |
| Chautauqua COVID-19 Weekly Update | An example of a weekly update document containing the latest COVID case numbers, hospitalizations, vaccination numbers, etc.* |
| Resource Type | Resource Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Legislation | Chautauqua Legislature Meeting Video | Video of meeting where Chautauqua Co Legislature passed a resolution allowing wastewater monitoring, featuring voices of opposition and support for the resolution.* |
| Webpage | New York State Department of Health Wastewater Network | As one of CDC's Centers of Excellence in the NWSS, the NYSDOH's webpage includes dashboards, resources and publicly available datasets. |
*Data shown is already available publicly.
Library last updated February 2025.
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