Sewerage District proud to support Wisconsin’s wastewater monitoring efforts
Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District is delighted to join wastewater utilities around Wisconsin to celebrate Wastewater Professionals Appreciation Day this Thursday, May 22.
For the second year in a row, Governor Tony Evers has proclaimed May 22 as Wastewater Professionals Appreciation Day to recognize these critical workers who protect and promote the health, safety, and overall well-being of all Wisconsinites.
“Wastewater professionals are the unsung heroes of public health and the environment,” says Eric Dundee, Executive Director, Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District. “They work tirelessly to ensure safe and efficient wastewater collection and treatment so the cleaned wastewater leaving our facilities is protective of human health, the environment and downstream communities. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a talented and passionate team at Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.”
The District, which serves 24 customer communities in the greater Madison area, partners with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to support wastewater-based monitoring for public health threats through the Wisconsin Wastewater Monitoring Program. The success of this program relies on dedicated wastewater professionals across Wisconsin to collect and submit wastewater samples for disease monitoring that enables rapid and cost-efficient tracking of public health threats.
“We thank our wastewater professionals for their instrumental work on the frontlines of wastewater monitoring,” says Jordan Mason, Communicable Disease Epidemiology Section Manager. “Their dedication helps individuals, communities and public health groups protect and promote the health of Wisconsinites through monitoring infectious diseases at local and state levels through public data dashboards. This partnership has been ongoing since 2020.”
Monitoring information for the greater Madison area is accessible on the DHS Wastewater webpage (for COVID-19) and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) National Wastewater Surveillance System webpages (for influenza A and B, bird flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and mpox), with additional Wisconsin DHS flu and RSV dashboards coming soon. DHS, CDC, local health departments, hospitals, communities, and individuals monitor these data so that they can better prepare for and respond to outbreaks that affect our community. Wastewater professionals are vital partners in dynamic public health monitoring efforts
As a result of this successful partnership, Wisconsin was named a CDC National Wastewater Surveillance System Center of Excellence in 2023, one of six national centers nationwide.
To learn more about wastewater surveillance in Wisconsin, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
