Wastewater (sewage) is tested to detect traces of infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if people do not have symptoms. We used this data as an early warning system to understand levels of infections that may have increased or decreased in our community. 

We sample a subset of public beaches across Muskegon County. These beaches have important ecological, economic, and community value. The presence of E. coli may indicate that there are fecal bacteria in the water that might make people sick. This and additional information is gathered to ensure safe access to beaches in Muskegon.

When levels of SARS-CoV-2 were high enough in a sample, we sequenced the sample. Using whole genome sequencing allowed for us to look at variants present in a population. We tracked variants of interest and used this information to gain a better understanding of the timeline of these new mutated variants. Knowing what variants are present in a population informed public health decisions.

If our E. coli results are above the state advisory limit, we then will use Microbial Source Tracking (MST) to determine the source(s) of E. coli contamination. Once sources are identified, necessary steps can be taken to remediate these effects to keep waterways safe for access.