Tempe checks sewage for more diseases

TEMPE, Ariz. — The city of Tempe is taking a step further in its attempts to determine the illness of residents by using the city’s sewage to look for traces of infectious diseases.

The city began testing wastewater samples for opioids several years ago to identify areas in the Tempe area where residents may be struggling with substance abuse. Now, the city has expanded its program to test for several types of infectious diseases and illnesses.

One of the new biomarkers detected in sewage samples from Tempe is West Nile virus, a disease for which there is no specific drug or vaccine.

Cases of mosquito-borne diseases, some of which are fatal, are reported in Maricopa County every year. A retired Tempe police officer died in 2021 after contracting West Nile virus.

Wastewater samples collected in Tempe are sent to a laboratory, where viral genetic material is filtered. Scientists then conduct tests to determine the abundance of genes that characterize the virus.

The city said the detection of pathogens in sewage does not necessarily mean residents are at risk of infection.

Other biomarkers currently being tested in Tempe include influenza, hepatitis A, norovirus (stomach flu) and adenovirus 41.

City officials say testing wastewater samples for these diseases can collect data that can help inform public health decisions.

“Wastewater data can be an important early warning signal and is most useful when used in conjunction with other community-level data,” said Wydale Holmes, director of Tempe’s Office of Strategic Management and Innovation.

Anyone who uses a restroom in Tempe could contribute to a sewage sample that scientists can analyze for biomarkers.

Test results for various biomarkers can be found online here.

*Editor’s Note: The video above is from an earlier broadcast*