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SARS-CoV-2 Data from National Wastewater Surveillance System Surge Capacity Sampling, September 2021

Metadata Updated: November 13, 2025

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is used to determine the consumption of, or exposure to, chemicals or pathogens in human populations, and is conducted by collecting representative samples of untreated wastewater (influent) to quantify pathogens shed in the population served by the sampled wastewater system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other agencies throughout the federal government, initiated the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to conduct WBE using analytical methods for the collection and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in wastewater influent. The data generated by NWSS helps public health officials to better understand the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infections in communities. Surge capacity sampling to support NWSS and carried out by the USGS was conducted in September 2021 in six states (Colorado, Missouri, Utah, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin). 354 samples from 25 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) representing 26 distinct service areas (one facility has two treatment areas) were analyzed using ddPCR (digital droplet polymerase chain reaction) for SARS-CoV-2 using standard CDC assays targeting N2- and E-genes plus the wastewater marker pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). Results for both genes are included in this data release (708 records).

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Created Date September 14, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 13, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 14, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 13, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-620ad97ed34ec05caca60e9b
Data Last Modified 2025-07-30T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id 00923f35-077f-4e52-bb8c-cd63ac598a58
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -125.77148, 25.52329, -65.83007, 49.35346
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash f78ffbfcc7c6eec741cee229100c0560a0651a84da94a73f7de2935a1c9b467f
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -125.77148, 25.52329, -125.77148, 49.35346, -65.83007, 49.35346, -65.83007, 25.52329, -125.77148, 25.52329}

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