Valley Sanitary District joins national COVID-19 wastewater data program

The Valley Sanitary District has been selected to participate in a national six-month program to monitor COVID-19 in wastewater, it was announced today.

The National Wastewater Surveillance System program, created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, monitors the presence of COVID-19, its variants and influenza in wastewater on a national scale to better identify locations of COVID-19 outbreaks.  

Participating wastewater plants collect this data and share it with the public at a county level to facilitate quick response to the spread of COVID-19.

"Our work in providing a vital public service inspires us to help track the spread of the virus and aid in the State of California's public health response,'' said General Manager Beverli Marshall.

Valley Sanitary previously participated in a similar state-level program to further develop the process of wastewater-based epidemiology where they collected wastewater samples three times a week, analyzed them for COVID-19, and submitted the data.