Welcome to “Sewer Stories”, where wastewater professionals talk about their journey into the realm of wastewater public health monitoring. You’ll hear about the challenges and successes utilities have experienced when working to harness the power of wastewater to monitor public health trends, detect outbreaks, and create healthier communities.
Stay in the loop by visiting and subscribing to our YouTube channel, where you can access the latest sewer stories, as well as other stories told by utility professionals across the country. Do you want to share your story? Please email us at nwbe@wef.org!
Las Vegas, Nevada
Learn about how and how the Clark County Water Reclamation District in Las Vegas, Nevada – a highly tourist trafficked area – started participating in wastewater public health monitoring.
Indiana Borough, Pennsylvania
Learn about Indiana Borough of Pennsylvania as Roland Francis and his team walk you through their experience participating in multiple wastewater public health monitoring projects, including WEF’s GeneXpert pilot.
Garrett County, Maryland
Wastewater public health monitoring is essential for protecting public health. Hear from Dale Baker of Garrett County, Maryland, about why their utility began participating in this important work. Learn about the challenges they faced and how they made sampling part of their weekly routine. Watch as he walks us through a normal sampling day and learn more about the Deep Creek Lake community.
Tempe, Arizona
Listen to Drew Rostain from Tempe, Arizona discuss how the city is revolutionizing the use of wastewater public health monitoring to improve public health. Tempe was one of the first cities in the United States to use wastewater as an indicator of community health, and has been using this data to track the spread of COVID-19, identify areas with high rates of opioid use, and more. This data is also being used by other public services, such as the fire department, to better respond to emergencies and improve public safety.
Want more?
Watch the “More Utility Stories” playlist to hear from other utilities about their experiences with wastewater public health monitoring. Learn how they are making this important work a part of their communities. See a few videos from the playlist below.
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