In St. Petersburg, a wastewater surveillance system is quietly tracking the community’s health by analyzing what residents flush away.  

The city is divided into three sewer sheds, each representing different neighborhoods that drain into the Northeast Water Reclamation Facility. For over a year, public works employees have been collecting wastewater samples three times a week to monitor the spread of illnesses.  

A laboratory tests these samples for concentrations of Influenza, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).  

“Wastewater is a way to gather information about public health trends without compromising individual privacy,” said City Water Resources Director John Palenchar. “We can detect whether infections are increasing in specific areas.”  

The data is publicly available through Verily Public Health’s WaterSCAN program, providing early warnings for health officials.  

“By identifying rising concentrations of viruses in wastewater before people show symptoms, health officials can take preventive action,” Palenchar explained.  

At Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Dr. Allison Messina sees the real-world impact of seasonal illness spikes. Flu season typically peaks between December and February, and this year, cases are climbing.  

“We’re seeing a significant increase in Influenza A infections,” Dr. Messina said. “Since flu is primarily a respiratory virus, we closely monitor how well patients are breathing.”  

Hannah Morris experienced this firsthand when her baby, Axel, was hospitalized for nearly a week after Influenza A led to pneumonia and a bacterial infection.  

“His oxygen levels dropped to forty, and he couldn’t breathe on his own,” Morris recalled. “He passed out on the table and just stopped making noises. Thank God we were in the right place at the right time.”  

Axel has since recovered, but families like the Morrises can use wastewater data to stay informed about outbreaks in their area and take precautions when needed.  

City officials emphasize that the surveillance system is completely anonymous, relying solely on the virus particles shed into the sewer system—providing an unbiased, community-driven tool for public health monitoring. 

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(Image credit: WTSP)