Bangor University launches global initiative to harness wastewater as an early warning system for future pandemics

Submitted by Arup

‍Launched at World Water Week in Stockholm, Global Wastewater Day is a pioneering international initiative led by researchers atvBangor University and the University of Bath, harnessing wastewater intelligence to strengthen global health surveillance and provide earlier warning of future pandemics.

A pioneering international initiative will bring together researchers, governments, water utilities and public health organisations to create a global snapshot of human and environmental health through wastewater.

On 31 March 2027, Global Wastewater Day will coordinate simultaneous wastewater sampling around the world, using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to identify and compare health and environmental signals across countries.

Led by Professor Davey Jones at Bangor University and Professor Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern at the University of Bath, the initiative builds on advances in wastewater surveillance during the COVID-19pandemic and aims to strengthen global disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance monitoring and pandemic preparedness.

More than 60 countries are now participating, with the initiative placing a strong emphasis on equitable participation and building wastewater surveillance capacity in low- and middle-income countries.

At its heart is the principle of “one sample, many analyses”. A single wastewater sample can provide information on pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), pharmaceuticals, chemicals and other indicators of population and environmental health.

Working with an international network of partners, participating laboratories will use approaches including qPCR, high-resolution mass spectrometry and metagenomic sequencing to create a comparable global dataset.

The initiative is being developed through a partnership involving Bangor University, the University of Bath, Verily Health, the Global Consortium for Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance for Public Health (GLOWACON), the European Commission Joint Research Centre and Arup alongside a growing international network of scientific and public health organisations.

From one day to a global observatory

Global Wastewater Day's ambition extends beyond a single sampling event. Repeat sampling could establish a long-term source of wastewater intelligence for public health, environmental protection, research and future pandemic preparedness.

Ultimately, the vision is to establish a “Planetary Health Observatory”, using wastewater to better understand the interconnected health of people, animals and the environment.

Davey Jones, Professor of Environmental Science and Public Health at Bangor University, said, "Water has always connected humanity. Everything we do in society leaves a footprint in our wastewater. What we want to do with Global Wastewater Day is harness the information it provides to supercharge public health research across the world, helping us detect emerging threats earlier and build a stronger early-warning system for future pandemics. The initiative will enable a global comparison of public health data using standardised methods, while building a long-term resource through annual repeat sampling and an open-access dataset. A core principle of the project is accessibility and inclusivity, with a strong emphasis on supporting participation from low- and middle-income countries. 

“We want to encourage as many scientists, organisations and communities as possible to get involved, contribute data and expertise, and share the initiative with colleagues and networks who may be interested. By working across borders, we have an unprecedented opportunity to transform wastewater from an overlooked resource into a source of global intelligence, helping to protect populations, strengthen resilience and support better decision-making for future generations.”

Get involved

Researchers, laboratories, governments, water utilities and public health organisations are invited to participate in the first coordinated Global Wastewater Day on 31 March 2027.

Register your interest in Global Wastewater Day

Visit the Global Wastewater Day website

For more information: wastewater@bangor.ac.uk

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