Wastewater Monitoring for COVID-19 Disease Surveillance

Watch Recorded Session

Researchers around the world are currently exploring ways that wastewater samples can help us understand the spread of COVID-19 at a community scale. The Water Science and Technology Board will host a panel discussion with experts on public health and wastewater monitoring to discuss the potential value of data on SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater to inform public health management and what is needed to build a useful surveillance network.

David Sedlak, UC Berkeley, Moderator

Panelists:

• Vincent Hill, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Barry Liner, Water Environment Federation
• Gertjan Medema, KWR Water Research Institute, Holland
• Nicole Rowan, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
• Krista Wigginton, University of Michigan

Key questions for presentations and discussions:

• How can data on SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater be useful as an indicator of COVID-19 cases in a locality?
• How has wastewater disease surveillance been useful with control of other viral pathogens? What problems have been encountered and what can we learn from these experiences for COVID-19?
• What is the capacity of current wastewater monitoring technologies for detecting COVID-19 disease outbreaks (i.e., what is the recovery efficiency, detection rate relative to the loading rates)? What are the costs?
• What technical challenges need to be addressed before this strategy can be broadly implemented as a robust tool? What are the highest priority needs?
• Where might such surveillance be appropriate?
• Is this a useful investment? If so, what would the nation need to do to rapidly invest in a useful surveillance network?

Reopening During COVID-19: Ensuring Safe Water Supplies at the Building Scale

Watch Recorded Session

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to sweeping closures of public buildings, businesses, offices, and schools. With minimal water use, water quality in building plumbing can degrade and foster the growth of the bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia. Legionnaires’ disease incidence has been increasing over the past few decades, and without appropriate water management actions, cases could increase sharply after schools and workplaces reopen. A panel of experts will discuss the state of knowledge for building water management to protect public health when reopening after COVID-19.

Ruth Berkelman, Emory University, moderator

Panelists:

• Chris Boyd, Building Water Health Program, NSF International
• David Krause, HealthCare Consulting and Contracting
• Jasen Kunz, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Andrew Whelton, Purdue University

Key questions for presentations and discussions:

• What are the water quality issues and related health risks associated with reopening buildings or larger office parks/campuses that have been shuttered or minimally used during the COVID-19 outbreak?
• Are there actions that could (should) be taken now to minimize current or future risk of water-related health risks?
• What guidelines are available for building owners and utilities? What are the responsibilities of various entities?
• What issues about best practices for water management remain unresolved relative to building recommissioning?
• What issues need to be addressed to improve implementation of current guidelines (e.g., communication, training)?