Tempe wastewater data program expanding due to $1M partnership

PHOENIX — The city of Tempe is expanding its wastewater data program following a $1 million partnership with the state.

The program will grow due to Arizona’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Cooperative Agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is the source of the funding.

Tempe’s program has been in place since 2018.

“Tempe is a forward-thinking, innovative community. Our use of wastewater science shows that we are taking full advantage of all the tools available to fight COVID-19,” Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said in a press release.

“Our community thanks AZDHS and the CDC for their partnership and funding.”

Tempe began by measuring the presence of opioid concentrations in wastewater before adding COVID-19 signals in March 2020.

The data from the seven collection areas is used to determine how prevalent the virus is in the community.

Tempe was the first U.S. city to use wastewater data for public health purposes.

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