Michigan COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Pilot Project
This collaborative effort monitored wastewater to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to support the public health response to the disease.
This was a collaborative pilot project between the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
This statewide COVID-19 wastewater surveillance feasibility pilot project coordinated with wastewater utilities, local health departments, universities, and laboratories. These local efforts had the potential to be an early warning system for the spread of COVID-19 within a specific community or for coronavirus outbreaks on college campuses and at other densely populated facilities.
Background
Research in the United States and other countries has determined that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA can be detected in wastewater, as the virus is shed in human feces for potentially up to 30-40 days.
The goal of the pilot project was to more rapidly detect the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus within specific communities by sampling and testing wastewater in sewers and at wastewater treatment plants for the presence of the virus. The project was designed to achieve the following objectives:
- Confirm the presence of the virus, identify trends related to spread of the virus, and potentially forecast the burden on local health resources based on virus data;
- Inform local and statewide healthcare and public health response stakeholders on the progression of the virus;
- Provide data that will help design and support local testing strategies;
- Potentially decrease the requirement for individual testing at congregate facilities such as prisons, dormitories, and long-term care facilities.
Image: Wayne State University's Civil and Environmental Engineer program working with colleagues in campus housing and facilities to identify and gain access to sampling locations.
The early detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, as part of a comprehensive COVID-19 surveillance system, could help identify a new emergence of infection in a community, monitor the level of virus in different areas across the state, monitor virus in facilities with vulnerable populations within a specific sewershed (providing earlier detection and reducing need for repeated testing of humans in the facility), and provide timely information to inform response plans at state and local levels to curtail transmission.
"Since nearly 70 percent of Michigan residents rely on public wastewater systems, this COVID-19 surveillance program has the potential to provide critical, life-saving data on COVID-19 transmission within a large portion of Michigan’s population," says EGLE Director Liesl Clark.
This pilot program was part of a $10 million grant funded from Michigan’s allocation of federal money under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The interactive map displayed here show the locations of wastewater sampling sites () and grantees () from this pilot project.
Click on a point to learn more.
Surveillance Data Summary
The State of Michigan COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance Feasibility Pilot Project ran from October 1, 2020 to December 30, 2020.
Additional data starting in April 2020 were provided from certain sites who began collecting samples for COVID-19 wastewater surveillance prior to the start of the pilot project. Earlier samples were supported via the pilot project through backdated funding.
A dashboard showing summary information about the pilot project.
Methods
This section describes the steps taken for this pilot project.
Step 1: Collect Data
Samples of wastewater entering sewage pipes or wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) were collected by field teams. The wastewater comes from homes or buildings in the corresponding service areas and represents sewage from the total number of people in that area, not individual people.
Samples for this project were either be a mixed wastewater sample (24-hour composite) or a point-in-time grab sample, depending on the sample location.
Image: Wayne State University's Civil and Environmental Engineer program working with colleagues in campus housing and facilities to identify and gain access to sampling locations.
Step 2: Analyze Data
Samples were analyzed by a laboratory to determine the number of SARS-CoV-2 virus gene copies present, which were then compared to the wastewater flow that occurred on the sample day and the population that contributed to the flow. N1 and N2 were the genetic markers used to measure viral load. During the pilot project, the E gene was also used to measure viral load and may be displayed on the graphs. Testing found that the E gene was not detected as routinely or consistently as the N1 and N2 genes. Therefore, testing for the E gene was discontinued.
It is important to note that the water discharged from wastewater treatment plants is treated to remove viruses and bacteria, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and is monitored to meet all state and federal discharge limits.
Step 3: Apply Results
Depending on the turnaround time of the laboratory, results can be available prior to routine notification of clinical test results to public health agencies.
As an example, Michigan State University (MSU) previously identified a spike in SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater one week before clinical and public health identification of a COVID-19 outbreak in East Lansing related to a local restaurant.
The results from wastewater surveillance can provide information on the presence of infected individuals in the community and infection trends over time. Local health departments and Tribes can use this data, in addition to clinical case data, to inform public health decisions. This could include increasing communication and outreach efforts, increasing clinical testing in affected communities, and alerting local hospitals, healthcare systems, clinics, and physicians of a potential increase in cases. In the future, this information could also help evaluate the effectiveness of prevention measures and vaccination efforts.
Learn More
The COVID-19 wastewater monitoring established during this Fall 2020 pilot project was reinitiated with new funding in June 2021 and will continue through July 2023. To learn more about this current project, visit State of Michigan Wastewater Surveillance for COVID-19 . Wastewater data from this current project can be viewed on the Michigan COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Dashboard in addition to the pilot project data.
Below are links for several additional resources. Click on one to be directed to the site.
