Wastewater Testing Dashboard
NCDHHS tests wastewater from select treatment plants to better understand how much COVID-19, Flu A/B, RSV and measles (MeV) are spreading in NC. People with these viruses can shed tiny pieces of the virus in their stool. These pieces are not infectious in wastewater, but scientists can still measure them.
Tracking these levels helps us see community trends and adds another data point to understand how respiratory viruses are affecting North Carolinians.
Recent reports and newsletters
More about why we test wastewater
New! Measles Dashboard tab launched March 11, 2026.
Respiratory Dashboards
To view the average COVID-19 virus copies found per person per week from participating NC wastewater treatment plants, please visit the Summary Dashboard. To download tabular data, please go to Data Behind the Dashboards.
NC wastewater data for COVID-19, influenza A (Flu A), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and measles (MeV) are also being reported on the CDC wastewater surveillance page. Subtyping for Flu A is also being reported.
Recent Newsletters and Reports
- NC Wastewater Monitoring Network Quarterly Newsletter - February 2026
- NC Wastewater Monitoring Network Quarterly Newsletter - October 2025
- NC Wastewater Monitoring Network Quarterly Newsletter - May 2025
- 2023-24 NC Wastewater Monitoring Report: RSV and Flu A/B
- 2022-23 NC Wastewater Monitoring Report: RSV and Flu A/B
What is the North Carolina Wastewater Monitoring Network (NCWMN)?
NCWMN is a collaboration between NCDHHS, wastewater treatment plants, University of North Carolina system researchers, the CDC National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), and North Carolina communities across the state. It conducts rapid and cost-efficient tracking of pathogens in wastewater to inform public health response and improve the health of communities.
NCWMN also shares wastewater monitoring data with CDC, which provides the public health infrastructure to monitor infectious diseases through wastewater across the country. Additionally, the NCWMN is one of six CDC NWSS Centers of Excellence, meaning it serves as a leader in wastewater surveillance implementation and coordination for the entire Southeastern Region of the U.S.
Why are we monitoring wastewater for certain diseases?
Wastewater (sewage and other water washed down the drain, as opposed to tap or municipal water) monitoring is being used to follow disease trends within a community. So far, we have focused on viral diseases, though diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, or chemicals can also be detected in wastewater. People infected with certain viral diseases shed the virus through their feces or other bodily fluids. Sometimes this shedding occurs before they experience symptoms and can even occur in people who never show symptoms.
By testing a community’s wastewater, we can measure the amount of the virus in a community-wide sample and see whether levels of the virus are increasing, decreasing, or staying the same in that community. Public health officials can use this information to inform communities about disease trends at the local level and for other public health actions.
How does wastewater monitoring work?
Participating wastewater utilities collect a wastewater sample from a full day’s flow twice per week. Wastewater samples are analyzed in the laboratory to determine the amount of specific viruses that are present. The amount of virus can indicate if infection levels are increasing or decreasing or when a new or unexpected virus is present in a community.
How can monitoring wastewater improve public health?
Wastewater monitoring can:
- Provide a community-wide sample to help track trends in levels of various infections.
- Sometimes serve as an early warning of increases in disease in communities.
- Provide information that can help local communities act quickly to reduce disease spread, like encouraging vaccination or sharing public health messages.
Is there a risk of spreading disease through wastewater?
Given how our wastewater systems are designed, the risk to the public is generally very low. Additionally, many respiratory viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, break down quickly in the environment and are not transmitted through wastewater. Untreated wastewater can transmit some diseases, however, so staff collecting samples and conducting laboratory analysis must follow standard safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment and good hygiene practices.