THE MAGAZINE FOR THE DRAINAGE,WATER &WASTEWATER INDUSTRIES
Miralles-Wilhelm said,“We do expect resurgence of the virus. It’s a seasonal virus like
influenza.Aswe have very goodways to predictweather and climatewe can expect to see a resurgence inNovember/early December in the northern hemisphere. “Ifwe are prepared and take the social distancing measures needed,we can minimise the impact.We have plenty of warning, there is no excuse for not being ready.”
2. Wastewater detection can give early warning on Covid
The potential forwastewater to act as an early-warning- systemfor outbreaks ofCovid-19 in communities is being demonstrated byCanadian technology company LuminUltra. Repeatedly testing everyone in a given population forCovid-19may not be feasible, but identifying and quantifying the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in their collectivewastewater can serve as an early warning system, alerting health authorities. PatrickWhalen, chief executive, LuminUltra said,“The science is still evolving but whatwe knowis that people not only infect others directly, but also through air and
surfaces.There is potential for wastewater to act as early warning system, to determine the presence of asymptomatic carriers without having to run tests directly on people.”
Responding to a government callout for technologies for diagnostic testing, LuminUltra contacted Public HealthCanada and offered to help shore-up the supply chain for reagents. The company has nowproduced 5 million quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) tests forCanada and is helping other countries.
3. Sewage based epidemiology costs quantified
Participants in theWaterAction Platform have been keen to better understand the cost of implementing a sewage-based epidemiological system.Anewresearch paper froma collaboration between engineering consultancy Arup, KWRresearch institute in the Netherlands and Exeter University in theUKoutlines the tasks and costs associated with designing an early- warning systemand cites two main cost elements. The first is the initiation phase during which systems are set up, for which the costs are estimated at £200,000. Deployment costs then have to be factored in and for populations of 3-5 million that could run up to £1 million, depending on localised variables. Spanish technology companyGoAigua has developed a similar pricing model which shows that costs vary depending on size and complexity of the utility and the number of samples, the cost of which ranges from US$30-50 dollars per unit.
4. Far-UVC light inactivates coronaviruses safely
Recent research carried out in the US has shownthat far-UVC light – wavelengths in the 207-222nm range - efficiently inactivates airborne humancoronaviruses. It iswell knownthat conventional germicidal UVClamps, emitting 254nmwavelengths, can be used to disinfect unoccupied spaces such as empty hospital wards and train carriages, but direct exposure poses a health hazard to humans and cannot be used in occupied spaces. Thenewstudy fromColumbia University IrvingMedicalCenter found that more than 99.9% of seasonal coronaviruses present in airborne dropletswere killed when exposed to a particularwavelength of ultraviolet light that is safe to use around humans. Far-UVC light cannot
FOLLOW US
penetrate the tear film on the surface of the eye or the outermost layer of skin so it cannot damage living cells in thehumanbody. Isle chairman Piers Clark said,“At these lowdose rates, far-UVC exposure mightwell provide a method for reducing the virus in public locations.Onits ownthis doesn’t solve the pandemic, but it’s definitely part of the solution.”
5. Very low risk of virus spreading through sewage
Anongoing review of the available academic literature by analysts fromIsle continues to conclude that the risk of contractingCovid-19 through exposure to sewage is very
low.Arecent paper on transmission in recreational waters in the journal Science of theTotal Environment says that while wastewater is a potential dissemination route for SARS-CoV-2 to recreational waters, there is limited data on the presence and viability of the virus in water bodies. Isle chairman Piers Clark says,“More research is needed, butwe hold to our previously stated conclusions that the risk of the virus spreading through sewage is very low.”
6. Workplace diversity accelerated at innovation sprint
Acollaborative sprint on ImprovingWorkplace Diversity in theWater Industry will take place as part of the NorthumbrianWater Innovation
Festival.The event, which facilitates sprints and challenges to help solve real-world water issues, will be delivered digitally and internationally for the first time and takes place from14-17 September. Isle is leading the diversity sprint which will take place 24-hours-a-day, over all four-days of the festival. Isle chairman Piers Clark said,“We’re going to look at howwe can improveworkplace diversity in the water sector and I’mdelighted that amuchwider group can get involved than ever before, fromanywhere around theworld.We aim to highlight key issues, gather data and share best practice on a topic which very relevant, especially in light of the Black LivesMattermovement.” Participants will need to take part in two 45 minute Zoomcalls timed to suit different time
zones.The event will start in theAsia Pacific region, then pass to Europe, then the Americas and then back toAsia Pacific.
Taking part
TheWaterAction Platformwebinar is open to utilities, organisations and companies across the water sector. viewed atThe nextwebinar takes place twice onThursday 23 July to accommodate time differences - at 7.30am and 4.30pm BST.
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