Welcome to our Wastewater Surveillance webpage, where monitoring meets environmental management. In an era marked by unprecedented challenges in public health, wastewater surveillance has emerged as a crucial tool in safeguarding communities. By monitoring wastewater, we gain valuable insights into the health of our communities, enabling proactive responses to potential outbreaks. As one of the first states to begin looking into wastewater analysis, our mission is to monitor communities with cutting-edge technologies and actionable data, fostering a future where water quality becomes a cornerstone of public well-being. Wastewater testing is flexible enough to rapidly adapt to changing public health needs. It is also beneficial to underserved communities who don't have access to testing sites.

By testing wastewater, we can measure the presence of pathogens like viruses and bacteria. Wastewater monitoring can serve as an early warning indicator for disease outbreaks. Wastewater analyses can give insights into the health of a community by identifying trends and assessing the effectiveness of public health interventions.

Wastewater surveillance programs have gained prominence due to their potential to provide real-time, cost-effective, and non-invasive monitoring of community health. These programs complement traditional public health surveillance methods and enhance our ability to respond to emerging health threats.

Currently, the Delaware Public Health Laboratory (DPHL) performs testing of wastewater samples from 12 of the 18 wastewater treatment plants twice a week- four in New Castle County, one in Kent County, and seven in Sussex County.

Statewide, Delaware has over 100,000 private septic systems. Having access to wastewater testing enables public health to provide resources and materials to the community to take preventative actions to prevent the spread of disease.

DPHL utilizes cutting-edge technology digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (dPCR) for wastewater testing. This technology had previously not been used in the public health laboratory setting but its capabilities enable public health programs to quantify infectious materials, providing greater specificity to tracking the spread of disease. As of December 14, 2023, DPHL is reporting results for SARS-CoV2, Influenza A and B, and Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) for national tracking. DPHL plans to implement new wastewater methods in the near future, which potentially includes Norovirus, Candida auris, etc.

This process did not happen overnight but was a journey for DPHL. The initial project to implement this technology began, in August 2020, after the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we began working on a qualitative method in partnership with a company that had a method available. DPHL utilized partnerships across the nation and state, including the CDC, public health laboratories, separate departments within the state of Delaware, and private entities that develop the technology.

In August 2021, DPHL completed the necessary validation studies to begin testing and reporting for SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Through collaboration with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), DPHL was able to begin collecting samples from wastewater treatment plants in the state. By this stage, DPHL was analyzing samples from five treatment plants within two different counties. By 2022, DPH was collecting data from 12 major sites in Delaware and a part of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Wastewater Community of Practice. Since the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is such a new method, we've had to partner with several vendors, APHL, NWSS, and other states in the U.S. to provide accurate and precise data. As of June 2023, Delaware has been performing surveillance on Influenza A and B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

For additional information refer to the following links:

National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS)

Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Wastewater Surveillance.

Network of Wastewater-based Epidemiology (NWBE)

Water Environment Federation (WEF)

My Healthy Community

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This page was last updated 12/2023

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