Wastewater surveillance

UNEP contributes to the global efforts around wastewater surveillance for environment and public health.  

Wastewater surveillance is a useful method to collect information and tackle diseases as well land-based sources of pollution.  

Wastewater surveillance provides an important line of data to support early detection of COVID-19 and other diseases. In addition, it is also provides useful data to tackle land-based sources of pollution, maintain ecosystems services and protect freshwater and marine ecosystems. This trend is encouraging for the future of health systems and sound environmental management but there is a need for expanding this positive trend further and enhance the good practices and significant efforts to monitor and assess water quality. 
 
UNEP is managing a wastewater surveillance initiative with the goal of expanding wastewater surveillance programmes. The target of this initiative is Africa, where the goal is to help reducing wastewater and nutrient pollution, reduce risks for ecosystems and human health, and overall improve socio-economic and environmental conditions. The surveillance initiative involves all sub-regions of Africa and selected countries to advance capacity-building, transfer of knowledge and awareness raising through tailored training, awareness and communication material, and practical implementation of wastewater surveillance at selected airports and ports across Africa.