NACWA will host a webinar on May 6, Wastewater-Based Epidemiology – Looking Back and Moving Forward on the Intersection of Public Health and Wastewater Surveillance, featuring the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NACWA members New York City Department of Environment, LuminUltra, and AquaVitas.  

Speakers will highlight the successes of quickly setting up wastewater monitoring programs and related challenges, but they will also discuss where wastewater-based epidemiology is headed moving forward – including possible use for other viruses and pathogens. It is unknown whether the momentum can continue for other public health concerns or if there will be funding to cover utility and laboratory costs to collect and analyze these samples.  

NACWA encourages members to save the date, May 6th from 1:30 – 3:00 PM ET, for this discussion to learn where surveillance efforts are headed and discuss important utility considerations given CDC’s establishment of the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS). Registration information will be available soon.  

In related news, NACWA recently attended the Water Environment Federation’s first-ever dedicated public health conference, Public Health and Water Conference & Wastewater Disease Surveillance Summit, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The conference drew EPA, federal health officials, state and local public health departments, clean water utilities, academic experts and technology providers.  

Knowing the incredible work essential utility operators did each and every day during the COVID-19 pandemic, this conference was an excellent recap of the role many NACWA members across the country played in collecting vital public health information for their local health departments and communities.