Partnership launches no-cost wastewater monitoring service for local governments

Of all the important lessons cities and counties have learned since the pandemic began, high up on the list is the value of working together. No one community can solve cross-jurisdictional challenges alone—that’s a concept that’s at the heart of a new initiative launched by the National League of Cities (NLC) and WastewaterSCAN that brings no-cost wastewater monitoring services to local governments.

“This partnership’s work to expand access to wastewater monitoring tools and analysis will help cities, towns and villages across the country lead their response efforts to the monkeypox outbreak equipped with data and a network of support,” said Clarence Anthony, NLC’s CEO and executive director in a statement about the project.

The collaborative will bring together scientists from Stanford University, Emory University, and the life sciences company Verily Life Sciences to monitor, detect viral genetic material, and respond to diseases like COVID-19, monkeypox, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. Once identified, WastewaterSCAN will provide participating communities with information about their wastewater levels and help them shape public health responses.

A statement from NLC notes that 38 treatment plants in eight states are currently receiving monkeypox results from WastewaterSCAN and SCAN in addition to results for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 and its variants, among other things. Wastewater monitoring is an important aspect of tracking public health, so the project and its implications is notable for administrators.

To read the complete article, visit American City & County.