Identifying Local Realities and Anticipating Challenges in Building Capacity of Ontario Municipal Wastewater Systems in Tracking for SARS-CoV-2

Zobia Jawed, Gail Krantzberg and Sasha Voinson
Additional contact information
Zobia Jawed: Booth School of Engineefing Pratice and Technology, McMaster Universtiy, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8
Gail Krantzberg: Booth School of Engineefing Pratice and Technology, McMaster Universtiy, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8
Sasha Voinson: Booth School of Engineefing Pratice and Technology, McMaster Universtiy, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8

International Journal of World Policy and Development Studies, 2021, vol. 7, issue 2, 7-20

Abstract: One of the biggest challenges that public health experts have ever faced is detecting and mitigating the community spread of COVID-19. Current clinical testing of COVID-19 patients is limited in terms of testing kits available, cost logistics, and detecting individuals that are mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic. False positives and false negatives also cloud the true picture of the pandemic. Ontario municipalities’ wastewater systems can provide new testing opportunities for a non-invasive approach in tracking and monitoring the community spread of COVID-19 through sampling raw sludge or untreated wastewater to test for SAR-CoV-2 RNA fragments. Current global and domestic research confirms the effectiveness of wastewater epidemiology surveillance of SAR-CoV-2 and can be detected even before individuals experience symptoms providing a real-time indicator for appropriate public health interventions. In collaboration with the COVID-19 Wastewater Consortium of Ontario (CWCO), an initiative of McMaster University, the objective of this research is to determine the means to optimize the current infrastructure capacity of municipal wastewater systems as an opportunity to monitor and track COVID-19 spread in the community by identifying local realities and risks. To identify local challenges, we distributed a survey amongst Ontario municipalities regarding wastewater treatment plants’ characteristics, held focus group discussions, and implemented an eight-week sampling program with CWCO’s partners. This report focuses on municipal wastewater treatment plants with in-house laboratory facilities to analyze the current capacity and limitations associated with their sampling and analysis programs. Drawing from survey responses and focus group discussions, we revealed gaps for municipalities to move forward with sample testing and data processing as well as governance challenges.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; Covid-19 testing; In-house laboratories; Municipal wastewater systems. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.arpgweb.com/pdf-files/ijwpds7(2)7-20.pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.arpgweb.com/journal/11/archive/06-2021/2/7 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:arp:ijwpds:2021:p:7-20

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of World Policy and Development Studies is currently edited by Dr. Hisham Galal El-Shimy

More articles in International Journal of World Policy and Development Studies from Academic Research Publishing Group Rahim Yar Khan 64200, Punjab, Pakistan.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Managing Editor ().