National Wastewater Surveillance
Case Study: National Wastewater Surveillance Training
Challenge
Following the emergence of COVID-19, wastewater surveillance surfaced as a critical early detection tool, but training was fragmented and inconsistent. Public health staff were uncertain about sampling methods, and communities raised urgent privacy concerns. Without swift and accurate standardization, this breakthrough tool risked losing credibility and impact.
My Role
National training lead and cross-sector program manager.
Process
Conducted rapid needs assessment with public health leaders, epidemiologists, and community groups.
Identified key components: purpose of surveillance, considerations for site selection, three sampling methods, guidance on interpreting results for public health action, and ethics of wastewater surveillance.
Designed evidence-based communication campaign, eLearning modules, webinars, job aids, and SOPs while balancing rigor with usability.
Produced plain-language, culturally responsive communication campaign to address privacy and equity concerns.
Partnered with federal, state, and academic stakeholders to ensure rapid national dissemination. Facilitated negotiation across scientists, federal and state agencies, and community stakeholders to reconcile competing priorities and build shared agreements.
Deliverables
A hub of on-demand educational resources.
Standardized training modules for public health staff and epidemiologists.
Community-facing education and trust-building resources.
National rollout strategy aligned with federal and state agencies.
Impact
Enabled fast, accurate adoption of wastewater surveillance standards nationwide.
Built community trust, easing privacy concerns through transparent communication.
Established wastewater monitoring as a sustainable public health tool beyond the pandemic.
Trained public health staff nationwide, achieving 90% completion and 71% proficiency gain.
Standardized wastewater surveillance protocols, cutting adoption time from months to weeks.
Built community trust with culturally responsive resources reaching 100,000+ residents.
Secured cross-sector partnerships with federal, state, and academic stakeholders.
Insights Learned: Strategic Impact
Clear, evidence-based guidance drove rapid, confident adoption nationwide. This kind of standardization builds credibility.
Stakeholder management drives progress. The project required persistent negotiation and alignment across federal, state, and academic partners to keep the rollout on track.
Community trust is non-negotiable and a newfound skill. Transparent, culturally responsive engagement ensured long-term acceptance and impact.
