Reviewed by Lexie CornerApr 2 2025
The Centre of Excellence in Water-Based Early-Warning Systems for Health Protection (CWBE) will monitor wastewater to detect disease outbreaks at an early stage, allowing public health teams to respond promptly and hospitals to prepare for patient care. Researchers at the University of Bath have partnered with Wessex Water to collect and analyze weekly water samples from four "living labs" in Bath and Bristol's urban areas, as well as the more rural areas of Paulton and Radstock in Somerset.
CWBE is a collaboration between longstanding partners, including Wessex Water and the UKHSA. Image Credit: Kaninstudio
In addition to pandemic prevention through early detection, the research at the Centre will contribute to understanding chronic, non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and various health risk factors.
CWBE is led by Professor Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern from the University’s Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change, in collaboration with partners like Wessex Water, the UK Health Security Agency, and UK Government departments.
The research team will analyze water samples for hundreds of trace chemicals and pathogen markers, including viral and bacterial RNA/DNA, which can be early indicators of infectious disease outbreaks.
The team will also monitor chemicals excreted in urine and feces, which can provide information about chronic diseases, stress, inflammation, medication or illicit drug use, dietary patterns, and exposure to pesticides, hazardous chemicals, and household/personal care products.
This data, combined with prescription information, demographics, and other relevant factors, will offer a population-level view of community health and the local environment through wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE).
The initial data collected over one year will establish a baseline. The team will then introduce and assess interventions aimed at improving public health.
After successfully implementing this system in Bath, the team plans to expand it across the entire UK.
Professor Kasprzyk-Hordern, from the University of Bath’s Department of Chemistry, said: “We saw during the Covid-19 pandemic how useful it was to get data on numbers infected and their location, but it took days to get data back from PCR tests and was very expensive.
Since whole communities contribute to wastewater, monitoring it is several orders of magnitude cheaper and faster than clinical screening. WBE is comprehensive, anonymous, and unbiased - it can pick up asymptomatic cases, those from difficult-to-reach communities or areas lacking testing infrastructure. By using wastewater-based epidemiology we are enabling public health experts to monitor health and environmental risks quickly and efficiently.
Kasprzyk-Hordern, Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Bath
In addition to identifying infectious disease outbreaks, the Centre's research will focus on detecting emerging synthetic drugs in communities and investigating the impact of diet and lifestyle choices on chronic health conditions.
The UKHSA has been working closely with Barbara’s team at the University of Bath for several years to develop a national wastewater monitoring system for infectious diseases and collecting public health data.
Dr. Matthew Wade, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
Dr. Matthew Wade, also a Visiting Fellow at the University of Bath, adds, “We’re delighted to continue to be part of this important project and very excited to achieve this milestone of launching the UK’s first pilot wastewater monitoring center.”
Ruth Barden, Director of Environmental Solutions at Wessex Water and Visiting Fellow at the University of Bath’s Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change, said: “Wessex Water is excited to be taking our longstanding partnership with the University of Bath to the next level with this new center.”
“CWBE is taking an innovative ‘One Health’ approach that will help monitor the health of the environment as well as the community, and we are proud to be part of this important project,” said Barden.