NDSU testing wastewater to track coronavirus
FARGO — North Dakota State University implements a new technique to track potential coronavirus cases on campus, and the city of Fargo will soon follow suit: What goes in your toilet could soon be used to help track coronavirus cases in our community.
This is not the traditional nasal or throat swab coronavirus test. NDSU partners with the North Dakota Department of Health to use dorm wastewater to track cases.
Not all students think it's a great idea.
"There's just no point in it, it's a waste of resources it's a waste of money," said Brooke Kinnischtzke, a freshman attending NDSU. "You can put in that much more money for a vaccine."
All of the water students flush eventually goes to the wastewater treatment plant in North Fargo. Technicians pick up the samples and bring them to labs on campus so they can test them for COVID-19.