SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Omicron variant in our local wastewater is now a reality for the cities of Sacramento and Merced. Scientists confirmed the discovery this week and gave public health leaders a heads up.

But what exactly does this mean?

A team of scientists have been monitoring the wastewater for COVID and its variants across ten cities in Northern and Central California. They’ve been doing so every day for more than a year.

“Over the past week in Sacramento, we have seen three days with low concentrations of markers that are specifically associated with Omicron,” said Dr. Marlene Wolff, one of the researchers behind the project.

The samples that she found were discovered sometime between November 30th and December 4th.