{"id":2041,"date":"2023-08-22T18:41:43","date_gmt":"2023-08-22T18:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nwbe.org\/?page_id=2041"},"modified":"2025-01-30T16:35:15","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T16:35:15","slug":"barriers-utilities-face","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nwbe.org\/?page_id=2041","title":{"rendered":"Barriers Utilities Face"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Utilities’ Barriers to Public Health Wastewater Monitoring Program Participation<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Last updated <\/em>January 30, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In 2023, WEF organized in-person workshops in each of the EPA<\/a>\/HHS\u00a0<\/a>regions in collaboration with the CDC and EPA. These workshops were focused on identifying barriers to utility participation in public health wastewater monitoring programs and solutions for overcoming those barriers. We appreciate the 316 attendees from health departments, laboratories, utilities, government agencies, non-governmental associations, and universities who generously shared their ideas with us.\u00a0(Find out more about future workshops and other events here!<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Map showing locations of the 10 Public Health Wastewater Monitoring Utility Needs Workshops hosted by WEF in 2023 in each EPA\/HHS Region<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A total of 998 barriers were identified by small groups across the 10 workshops. This included repeats. For example, \u201cLack of funding\u201d was mentioned 14 times, while \u201cFunding\u201d and \u201cCost\u201d were mentioned seven and six times, respectively. WEF organized these barriers into 13 overall categories and a total of 55 subcategories. All barriers, organized by category and subcategory, are listed on, and available for download from, the “Barriers” tab on the workshop outputs dashboard<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Screenshot of the \u201cBarriers\u201d tab in the workshop outputs dashboard: click on the image to navigate to the dashboard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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In order from the most common to the least common, the 13 categories<\/em> of barriers are: motivation, staffing, data, politics, knowledge, funding, logistics, communication, ethics, relationships, equipment\/supplies, infrastructure, and safety. The top quintile (n = 11) of subcategories<\/em> (with the number of times mentioned) are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n