Wastewater Infrastructure & 

Operations for an Enduring 

Public Health Partnership

Wastewater Monitoring for Early Detection of 

COVID-19 Infected Populations

Beverley Stinson, PhD, PE 

DHS/NIST Workshop 

June 14, 2021
1 Introduction

2 Brief History of Sewer Systems and Public Health

3 Sewer System Basic Infrastructure Design

4 Early Indication of SARS-CoV-2 Presence

3 Sampling and Testing Logistics and Methods

4 Brief Case Study: Israel

5 Case Study: Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Corrections

6 Case Study: Bergen County, NJ Utility Authority Study

7 Summary and Acknowledgements 

Presentation Overview

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Engineering in Partnership with Public Health

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“To prevent the hardship of this last year from 

happening again, pandemic preparedness must 

be taken as seriously as we take the threat of 

war.” 

– GATES FOUNDATION

Before the Eighteenth Century

 Plague; Cholera; Smallpox 

 Some thought to be caused by poor moral and spiritual condition

 Mediate through prayer and piety

 Control through isolation and quarantine

Nineteenth Century: The Great Sanitary Awakening

 Protecting public health became a social responsibility

 Identified “filth” as one of causes and transmission of infectious diseases

 Increased urbanization caused unsanitary conditions in working class 

areas

 General Report on the Sanitary Conditions published

 Identified foul air from decomposing waste as cause

 Necessary to build drainage network to remove sewage and waste

First Sewer Systems in the US – 1850s

 Chicago and Brooklyn

 Helped control outbreak of diseases such as Cholera and Typhoid

 Began public health partnership

Brief History
Engineering in Partnership with Public Health

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Main Function of Sanitary Sewer System - Protect water supply and 

Public Health 

Sewer Systems Consist of:

 Underground pipes, manholes and pumping stations to convey sewage flow 

to wastewater treatment plants

 Piping network is designed with drainage areas from cities and 

neighborhoods to campuses, buildings and homes.

 Designed like a transportation system with streets/roads (small lateral sewer 

pipes) going to super-highways (trunk sewers and interceptors) to final 

destination (wastewater treatment plant)

Existing infrastructure and 21st Century Surveillance 

 Conducive to sampling individual areas and in the aggregate 

 Data in wastewater can be harvested for warning of today’s threats –

pandemics, opioids, biological etc.

 No need for large capital expenditures – the infrastructure is in place

 Sampling methods in sewer system and frequencies should be standardized

 Daily sampling for SPDES and NPDES permits is standard

Sewer System Basics
Engineering in Partnership with Public Health

A phased approach allows for early detection at specific locations.

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Engineering in Partnership with Public Health

Wastewater Monitoring is Currently the Only Leading Indicator in the Toolbox 

Early warning can inform 

strategies that help:

‒ Contain the virus.

‒ Limit the spread.

‒ Protect the most vulnerable.

‒ Avoid large-scale shutdowns.

‒ Verify efficacy of vaccination programs.

‒ Identify generic variants.

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Engineering in Partnership with Public Health

Sampling and Testing Logistics and Methods: 

4 Key Steps

Identify Sampling Locations, Install 

Composite Samplers – Grab samples 

acceptable at WWTPs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correlation between local Patient data and WW Monitoring

Trends in Covid-19 Over time in a Community 

correlated with Back to work Activities

Reports – Heat Maps and Trending Graphs

Preserve and Ship Samples to Equipped 

Laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 RNA analysis

Analysis – CDC Test Methods, RT-qPCR, 

Normalization of Results, Statistical 

Analysis

1

2

3

4

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Engineering in Partnership with Public Health

How a sewer system was leveraged to warn of Infectious Disease – Israeli Case Study 

‒ Israel realized polio was being transmitted 

actively in 2013.

‒ A sewage surveillance system – set up in 1989 by 

the Israeli Ministry of Health to detect poliovirus –

sounded the alarm. Health officials worked quickly 

to vaccinate the public.

‒ To track polio in human waste in Israel, samples are 

automatically collected from sewage trunk lines and 

treatment plants approximately weekly.

‒ Positive sewage samples during the 2013 outbreak 

came from the Negrev region.

‒ Based on molecular characteristics of the virus 

isolated from the sewage, the virus originated in 

Pakistan, then traveled into the region, diverging 

into Egypt, Israel, and Syria. 

‒ Policy decisions were enacted to mitigate the 

spread of the virus.

Human circulation creates pathways for 

potential spreading of the virus.

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Bergen County WW Surveillance Program

BCUA Sewer Shed

- Populations Served at Little Ferry WPCF – 580,000

- 47 Townships

- Mixed Residential (suburban/urban), Industrial, Commercial

- Existing wastewater system

- 2 WWTPs

- 9 pumping stations

- 170 metering chambers

Program Highlights

- Period – May 12,2020 to Present

- Total Population “Pool Tested” – 800,000

- Over 1,200 samples analyzed using RT-qPCR

- Little Ferry WPCF Influent Pre-Chlorination & Post Chlorination

- Points throughout the Little Ferry WPCP – Liquid & Solids

- County Jail

- Hospital 

- 14 individual Towns/areas 

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Program Methods 

- Received split of standard composite samples taken SPDES 

compliance at Little Ferry WPCP (580,000 people “pool tested”)

- Composite samplers installed in existing metering chambers, pump 

stations and manholes in the sewer collection system (Additional 

200,000 people)

- Sampling frequency: 2 times per week per site

- RT-qPCR Testing in laboratory

- Results analyzed for concentrations & trends, correlated to actual 

reported cases

- Report weekly to Bergen County

Bergen County WW Surveillance Program

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Lessons Learned

- Existing wastewater infrastructure is well designed to facilitate 

wastewater surveillance for large and small populations

- NPDES and SPDES permits require sampling and testing at all 

plants - only addition splits of those samples are required

- 24- hour composite samplers are preferred for both treatment plans 

and collection system points – However grab samples at large well 

mixed flows in a large can be used.

- Pre-chlorination does not impact the data significantly

- Some degradation of RNA throughout the wastewater 

treatment process

- Suggested sampling regiment 

- Minimum 1 time per week per site 

- Increase to 2 or 3 times per week as concentrations and reported 

cases increase

Bergen County WW Surveillance Program

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By using existing wastewater infrastructure, weekly 

pool testing is done for “pennies per person”
Bergen County WW Surveillance Program

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Bergen County WW Surveillance Program

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Lessons Learned

- Daily tailgate safety meetings including 

weather hazards

- PPE. Steel toe boots, Tyvek coveralls, 

Nitrile or equivalent gloves, face mask, 

safety glasses and face shield for splash 

protection.

- Rigorous decontamination using bleach 

solution for equipment and hand /face 

washing for crews

- Two person teams at all times for Safety.

- Develop automated sample chain of 

Custody

Sampling in Wastewater Collection System and Individual Facilities

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Wastewater Surveillance Provides Public 

Health Information to Bergen County 

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“By testing the wastewater entering the Bergen 

County Utilities Authority’s (BCUA’s) collection 

system for COVID-19, public health experts and 

local officials have access to important data for 

managing resources in response to the 

pandemic” The BCUA remains committed to our 

partnership with the County of Bergen, AECOM 

and Columbia University and looks forward to 

continuing this important public health initiative 

to help spot new trends in concentration data.”

- Robert Laux, Executive Director of

the Bergen County Utilities Authority
Impact of chlorination

There was no systematic impact of 

influent chlorination in the 

concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 copies 

in most of the influent wastewater grab 

samples.
Some differences were observed in the 

results from grab and composite samples. 

Given the expected variability in influent 

wastewater flow and composition, it might 

be beneficial to obtain composite samples 

where feasible 

Strong parallel trends were observed in the 

Post-Cl2 grab and composite samples
• In general, comparable or lower virus 

concentrations were observed in the 

primary sludge samples compared to 

the raw sewage influent samples 

(normalized to sample volume)

• Partitioning of the virus between the 

aqueous and solids phases needs to 

be quantified
Some degree of variability observed in the results from the mixed-liquor grab 

samples.

In general, the SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in ML were less frequently 

detected and visually lower than in primary sludge. 

– The impact of virus-solids association needs further investigation

– Fate in the solids streams needs to be determined

– Impact of solids on (differential) assay efficiency and sample pre-treatment needs to be 

considered
BCUA Phase 2 Expansion – Sampling Locations

BCUA Sampling 

Locations

PVSC Sampling 

Locations

Cliffside Park Fair Lawn #1

Englewood Fair Lawn #2

Fairview Lodi

Paramus Lyndhurst #1

Hackensack Lyndhurst #2

Bergenfield Garfield

Little Ferry WPCF -

Post Cl Infl.

Elmwood Park

BCUA 

PVSC

Bergen County

New 

Jersey

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RAPID: Viral Structure Function – Activity in the Engineered Wastewater Cycle

Kartik Chandran, CBET - 2026599

Lingering 

impacts of 

Wave-I

Wave II 

during 

summer

Wave III 

‘predicted’ 

already in 

October 2020

Program: 1440/Environmental Engineering Program, COVID-19 Research

Technical Goals: 1.) To develop a science-based understanding of the link between SARS-CoV-2 presence in 

wastewater streams and the health of the contributing communities. 2.) To determine the fate of SARS-CoV-2 and 

other viruses in engineered wastewater treatment plants. 

Wastewater sampling

conducted at: 

Sewage treatment 

plants and sewersheds

University residential 

buildings

Healthcare and incarceration facilities

 Trends in wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations precede trends in 

clinical Covid-19 positive cases by up to two weeks.

 Results of long-term monitoring in Bergen County, NJ

 Wastewater testing can provide an indication of overall community 

infection.

 By extension, wastewater testing can also track the efficacy of 

vaccination efforts.

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A public private partnership to help protect Kentucky correctional

facility inmates and staff from COVID-19

Trends monitored and 

reported

Prepare to scale statewide

Sample wastewater 

discharge at each facility

Test for SARS CoV-2 RNA

ACTIONS INFORM STRATEGIES TO:

Testing wastewater discharge can provide a leading indicator of COVID-19 presence and trends

Limit the Spread

Verify Efficacy of Actions

Contain the Virus

Program individual testing

Kentucky 

Correctional Institute 

for Women

Kentucky State 

Reformatory

PILOT STUDY

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Kentucky Correctional Facility WW Sampling Program

Expanded Program Setup

Pilot Program

‒ Sampling commenced at KSR & 

KCIW on August 31, 2020

‒ Sampling concluded on 

November 23, 2020

Expanded Program

‒ Conducted initial site visits with site 

contacts in December 2020

‒ Teledyne ISCO Glacier samplers installed 

at all 14 correctional facilities in January 

Crews Deployed

Samples obtained starting the week of January 11th

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COVID-19 RNA Concentrations at 14 Facilities

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Sample collection and 

processing is ongoing 

and is expected to 

continue through 2021

Three two-person crews

- Western Area

- Central Area

- Eastern Area

Samples collected three 

(3x) per week for 52 

weeks
Commonwealth of Kentucky Correctional Facilities Program

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Custom Dashboard Provides Real Time Information Immediately

Heat Map Identifies Facilities 

with Elevated Levels

- Total Number of Facilities with 

Level Indication – Green, Yellow, 

Red

- Data Trending of Facilities -

Number Increasing or Decreasing 

- One Click to Specific Facility Data 

throughout the Sample Chain of 

Custody and Test Results

Secure Login for Department of 

Corrections and Public Health 

Commissioners, and each 

Warden
Commonwealth of Kentucky Correctional Facilities Program

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Custom Dashboard Provides Real Time Information at a Glance

• Facility Comparison for 

Macro Information of Entire 

System
Commonwealth of Kentucky Correctional Facilities Program

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Specific Facility Dashboard – Wastewater Sample Chain of Custody Information
Commonwealth of Kentucky Correctional Facilities Program

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Specific Facility Dashboard – Wastewater Sample Chain of Custody Information
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Specific Facility Dashboard – Concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at Specific Facilities 

Commonwealth of Kentucky Correctional Facilities Program
Key Findings and Ongoing Work

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− Viral dynamics in wastewater capture the multiple 

Covid-19 waves. 

− Very cost effective and fast compared to individual clinical testing.

− Wastewater virus trends lead clinical data by approximately one 

week and as much as approximately two weeks.

 Can provide valuable time for actions to protect human health (testing, 

quarantine, other measures).

 Very good correlation between viral RNA protein concentration in wastewater 

and number of infected individuals in the sewer shed of the community.

− Provide a measure of health for the overall community in advance

of clinical testing.

− Determines and verifies efficacy of vaccination programs.

− Monitoring expanding to other sites with complementary analysis.

− Genetic sequencing to detect variants underway.
Acknowledgments

‒ Bergen County Utilities Authority

‒ Commonwealth of Kentucky

‒ GHI 

‒ Columbia University

‒ National Science Foundation

‒ ALS Global Laboratories

‒ Eurofins Laboratories

Beverley Stinson, PhD

Beverely.Stinson@aecom.com

Paul Storella, PE

Paul.Storella@aecom.com

33 DHS/NIST Workshop: Water Solutions for Future Resilience 14 June 2021
Thank you.

Beverley Stinson, PhD

Beverely.Stinson@aecom.com

Paul Storella, PE

Paul.Storella@aecom.com
BCUA Phase 1 Results – Little Ferry WPCF

At Little Ferry - Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations have in general decreased

following a peak during Fall-Winter 2020

However, concentrations are still higher than in Spring 2020

35 DHS/NIST Workshop: Water Solutions for Future Resilience 14 June 2021
Results Summary

During the periods below, elevated concentrations (copies/mL) in the samples were noted at the following locations:

Location Copies/mL (samples detected/total samples)

3/8-3/12* 3/15-3/19* 3/22-3/26* 4/5-4/9* 4/12-4/16* 4/19-4/23* 4/26-4/30* 5/3-5/7* 5/10-5/14*

Cliffside Park 3,000 (1/2) 6,000 (1/2) 500 (1/1) 900 (1/1)** 900 (1/2)** 2,000 (1/2)** 1,000 (2/2)** 1,000 (1/2)** 200 (1/2)**

Elmwood Park 1,500 (1/2) 3,000 (1/2) 700 (1/1) 500 (1/1) 1,000 (1/2)** 2,000 (1/1)** 900 (1/2)** 500 (1/2)** 200 (2/2)**

Fairview 3,000 (1/2) 256,000 (1/2) 500 (1/1) <500 

(1/1)**

2,000 (1/2)** 8,000 (1/2)** 2,000 (1/2)** 100 (1/2)** 500 (1/2)**

Lodi <20 (2/2) 14,000 (1/2) 1,000 (1/1) 600 (1/1)** 2,000 (1/3)** 3,000 (1/1)** 1,000 (1/2)** 2,000 (1/2)** 60 (1/2)**

Garfield 4,000 (1/2) 12,000 (1/2) <500 (1/1) 500 (1/1) 4,000 (1/2)** 1,000 (1/1)** 400 (1/2)** 600 (1/2)** 100 (2/2)**

Lyndhurst 4,000 (1/4) 6,000 (1/4) 10,000 (1/2) #1: 1,000 

(1/1)

#2: <500 

(1/1)**

#1: 24,000 (1/2)

#2: 1,000 (1/3)**

#1: NA

#2: 700 (1/1)**

#1: 1,000 (1/2)

#2: 500 (1/2)**

#1: 5,000 (1/2)

#2: 300 (1/2)**

#1: 400 (1/2)

#2: 70 (1/2)**

Englewood 2,000 (1/2) 3,000 (1/2) 700 (1/1) NA <500 (1/1)** 1,000 (1/1)** 300 (1/2)** <20 (2/2)** 80 (1/2)**

Bergenfield 2,000 (1/2) 3,000 (1/2) <500 (1/1) 1,000 (1/1) 600 (1/1)** 1,000 (1/2)** 500 (1/2)** 200 (2/2)** 300 (1/2)**

Hackensack 2,000 (1/2) 4,000 (1/2) <500 (1/1) 2,000 (1/1) <500 (1/1)** 1,000 (1/2)** 400 (1/2)** 100 (1/2)** 100 (1/2)**

Paramus 2,000 (1/2) 2,000 (1/2) <300 (1/1) 100 (1/1) 700 (1/1)** 1,000 (1/2)** 200 (1/2)** 300 (1/2)** 100 (1/2)**

Fairlawn <700 (4/4) <800 (4/4) <300 (1/1) 2,000 

(1/2)**

3,000 (2/6)** 2,000 (2/4)** 500 (1/4)** 400 (1/4)** 80 (1/4)**

Little Ferry 

WPCF

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 200 (1/1)**

Grab and composite samples from locations at the selected towns were collected and tested at ALS Global Laboratories in 

Houston TX. It needs to be noted that the grab samples provide an instantaneous reading of concentrations and cannot be 

used for correlation to the composite samples taken at Little Ferry.

*Note that these dates represent date that samples were received by lab 

**Composite sample results