California Wastewater Surveillance Center of Excellence
In 2023, California was recognized as one of six national Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in wastewater surveillance by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alongside Colorado, City of Houston, New York, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. The CoEs are tasked by the CDC to “serve as regional leaders in wastewater surveillance (WWS) implementation and coordination and to foster innovation, develop and conduct trainings, and provide technical assistance to jurisdictions.”
The California WWS Center of Excellence covers U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions 9 & 10. It is a collaborative partnership with Stanford and Emory Universities, San Francisco Public Utilities (SFPUC), and California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) with the purpose to strengthen and expand wastewater surveillance across California and its region to better protect public health.
Our Vision and Goals
The California WWS Center of Excellence is built on four core pillars to guide our work as a Center of Excellence and shape how we support the development and advancement of wastewater surveillance.
MAKE WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE INFORMATIVE & USEFUL
We aim to make wastewater surveillance information and data easy to understand and useful for everyone, including federal, state, and local public health departments, wastewater utilities, as well as communities and the public.
ESTABLISH WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE AS AN INTEGRAL & INDISPENSIBLE PART OF PUBLIC HEALTH
We are working to make wastewater surveillance a key part of how we detect and track infectious diseases, alongside other public health tools.
SUPPORT PARTNERS & COLLABORATIONS WITHIN THE FIELD OF WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE
We support collaborations and partnerships at every level to help establish and make wastewater surveillance useful and sustainable for everyone involved.
PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE OF WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE
We work to develop new ways to use wastewater surveillance to prepare for future public health needs and respond to emerging threats.
Our Region
The California WWS Center of Excellence covers U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions 9 & 10.
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Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa (AS), Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (MP), Federated States of Micronesia (FM), Guam (GU), Marshall Islands (MH), and Republic of Palau (PW)
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Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
For more information about the other Centers of Excellence visit the CDC Centers of Excellence webpage or the other Center of Excellence webpages.
North Carolina (webpage coming soon)