Wastewater Sampling for COVID-19 Virus

COVID-19 disrupted the national economy, sickened millions, and killed hundreds of thousands.  States, cities, and facilities struggle to manage COVID-19 risk through community engagement, rules/regulations, and trending individual clinical testing.  EA offers an indirect method to detect COVID-19 in a community—from large cities to military installations to schools or individual long-term care facilities.

Monitoring SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID‑19, in wastewater provides early warning; data independent from clinical tests; detection of non-symptomatic cases; COVID-19 trend analysis (increasing/decreasing incidents of infection); and, most significantly, a non-invasive community-wide “COVID test” to assist disease mitigation.

EA provides the following services to enable SARS-CoV-2 wastewater sampling and analysis:

• Health and Safety Plans for sampling
• Sampling Plans, including location of proper sampling points
• “How To Sample” training to client personnel
• Confined space entry
• Sampling for intermittent, low-flow facilities (e.g., long-term care, schools, etc.)
• Laboratory services procurement
• Sampling equipment (composite samplers or grab sampling)
• Management of large sampling efforts for multiple locations (sequential or concurrent)
• Laboratory report conversion to EQuIS^TM environmental data management files
• Data interpretation and management
• Data quality assurance/quality control
• Data dashboards, including trending
• Development of response plans in the event of positive tests.

EA maintains a network of partner quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analytical laboratories—the type of analytical laboratories that can test for SARS-CoV-2 detection.  Our strong relations with these laboratories ensure timely service from quality laboratories.

Case Study—EA developed a COVID-19 sampling plan, trained wastewater operators, procured laboratory services, interpreted laboratory reports, and managed data for a 370-student boarding school in New England for SARS-CoV-2 detection.  Our team assisted the school when the virus was detected in the wastewater by expediting laboratory work and providing technical interpretation of the RT-qPCR results.

We also provides sampling services for a large sewer authority on the East Coast for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

EA deploys its engineers, scientists, and field technicians across the United States and Guam.  These experienced individuals provide rapid response for COVID-19 wastewater sampling services.

For further details or questions, please contact Kelly Whalen.