Harris County Public Health- Home Page About Offices Office of Epidemiology Surveillance Emerging Diseases Wastewater Surveillance Program

A New Way to Track Community Health

Wastewater Surveillance Program

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) uses wastewater surveillance to help identify trends in community health and provide early insight into illnesses that may be spreading.

When someone is infected with a virus, like influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), traces of that virus exit the body when they use the restroom and enter the wastewater system, even before they feel sick or seek medical care. Samples of untreated sewage are taken from local utility plants, before going through any cleaning, and are tested in a laboratory for specific health threats.

By testing wastewater from communities across Harris County, HCPH can monitor changes in disease activity and provide information that helps community members, healthcare providers, elected officials, and public health teams better prepare and respond.

Wastewater surveillance is one more tool we use to help keep Harris County informed, prepared, and healthy.

View the video testimonial from Tanny Busby, customized environmental training consultant, about HCPH’s Wastewater Surveillance program:



Explore the Harris County Wastewater Surveillance Dashboard for an interactive look at wastewater surveillance across Harris County. Visitors can view current and historical disease activity, explore sampling locations, and track trends for monitored viruses such as COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. The site also provides information about how wastewater surveillance works, the Harris County Public Health program and its partners, and answers to frequently asked questions about wastewater-based epidemiology.

For more information contact: