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

If levels of SARS-CoV-2 are high enough in a sample, we will sequence the sample. This whole genome sequencing allows for us to look at variants present in a population. We can track variants of interest and use this information to gain a better understanding of the timeline of these new mutated variants. Knowing what variants are present in a population can influence 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.