Lawrence to monitor wastewater for monkeypox, COVID

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) - Lawrence, Kansas, is joining a nationwide initiative and will be monitoring wastewater for monkeypox, COVID, and other infectious diseases.

The initiative is called the Wastewater Sewer Coronavirus Alert Network (WastewaterSCAN), which is led by Stanford University and Emory University researchers.

“The study will measure viral genetic material in wastewater from the Kansas River Wastewater Treatment Plant,” the city said. “Data will be available on an online public dashboard at Verily Public Health.”

Click here to see the city’s data regarding monkeypox and here for data regarding COVID.

Also read: Monkeypox vaccination underway in Kansas City metro

If you thinking, “Wasn’t Lawrence already testing wastewater for COVID before this point?” - they were. Through the pandemic, Lawrence participated in a program that was funded by the Kansas Department of Health & Environment and coordinated through the University of Kansas. At the end of the fiscal year, which was June 30, that sampling was discontinued. Before the KDHE-funded program the city worked directly with KU.

For more information about the new study, you can read this press release from the WastewaterSCAN research team.