UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey
In July 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named the Wisconsin Wastewater Monitoring Program (WWMP) a national Center of Excellence for wastewater surveillance within the National Wastewater Surveillance System. Since its launch in September of 2020, WWMP has been on the forefront of science and innovation behind testing and tracking the communicable illnesses in wastewater and in helping guide the public health responses. We work closely with multidisciplinary experts across the nation to grow and develop wastewater monitoring as a critical public health tool.
Laboratory Email: WastewaterTesting@slh.wisc.edu Public Health Email: DHSwastewater@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Explore
Our Impact
Hear testimonials from Wisconsin residents and public health professionals on how wastewater monitoring has impacted their community.
Program History
Wisconsin has been one of the first states enrolled in the CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System, joining at its launch in Fall of 2020. Wisconsin Wastewater Monitoring Program has been growing and evolving ever since.
Team
The Wisconsin Wastewater Monitoring Program is a collaboration between participating Wisconsin wastewater utilities, public health, state laboratory and academia.
In the News
What we do makes a difference! Our data is talked about in newspapers, as well as TV and radio.
Publications
Check out our scientific contributions to the knowledge base of wastewater surveillance.
Images courtesy of UW Aquatic Sciences Center
Find Out More
Is Respiratory Illness in Your Community?
Currently our program is monitoring levels of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and measles in wastewater samples from 44 treatment facilities across the state, representing almost half of the Wisconsin population. We are also tracking seasonal influenza, avian flu (H5), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and MPXV (virus causing mpox) at 22 sites, representing about 42% of the state’s population. In addition, we perform genetic sequencing of wastewater samples to better understand the spread of COVID-19 variants in our state.
Wastewater Laboratory Proficiency Testing Program
Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene launched the wastewater surveillance laboratory proficiency testing (PT) program to help address the existing knowledge gaps in this field. Proficiency testing can use reference materials to simulate real-life samples that participating laboratories can then “blind test” and report their results. These are then compared to the expected or consensus results and the summary of findings is reported back to the participants, helping them take corrective action and improving cross-laboratory comparability.
