Summary

The water research institute Eawag has been the official National Reference Center for Wastewater Monitoring (NRAM) since early 2026 on behalf of the Federal Office of Public Health. The institution now centrally analyzes wastewater from ten treatment plants distributed across Switzerland – covering approximately 20% of the population – for pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV, as well as for substances from pharmaceutical and substance use. The ten-year collaboration ensures continuity of wastewater-based epidemiology and improves preparation for future pandemics.

People

  • Christoph Ort (Head of Department for Urban Water Management, Eawag)
  • Tim Julian (Department of Microbiology, Eawag)
  • Simon Ming (Spokesperson Federal Office of Public Health)

Topics

  • Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE)
  • Virus monitoring (SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV)
  • Substance monitoring (DroMedario II)
  • Public health
  • Pandemic prevention

Clarus Lead

The water research institute Eawag assumes central responsibility for wastewater monitoring in Switzerland as a national reference center from 2026 onwards. This institutionalization ensures long-term surveillance of pathogens and substance consumption through analysis of wastewater samples from ten strategically distributed treatment plants. For decision-makers in healthcare, this means improved early detection of virus variants and disease trends – an essential supplement to classical surveillance systems. The ten-year agreement with the Federal Office of Public Health also enables longer-term data series that allow deeper insights into health patterns.

Detailed Summary

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has gained massive importance since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic began in 2020. Eawag and EPFL analyzed samples from over 100 Swiss treatment plants at times. Since summer 2023, the program has been optimized: central analyses at Eawag in Dübendorf, ten treatment plants in focus (from Geneva to St. Gallen, Lugano to Basel), capturing approximately two million people. Methodological improvements such as digital PCR devices and multiplex tests increased efficiency and comparability. The portfolio now includes SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B and RSV viruses.

In parallel, the DroMedario II project has been running since 2025 – analysis of pharmaceutical and substance use residues in wastewater. Data from the first two quarters of 2025 are publicly available. This combination of chemical and microbiological analyses opens new perspectives: a sudden increase in a cough medicine could indicate approaching illnesses before practices and hospitals report increased case numbers. Substance patterns (e.g., ketamine increase, weekend cocaine peaks) become visible without sales figures being available – wastewater as an objective data source.

However, Eawag emphasizes: despite institutionalization, WBE remains a research project with open questions (e.g., automation on-site). At the same time, the institution deliberately sets boundaries – it does not function as "wastewater police" and rejects surveillance projects (such as cannabis monitoring in schools).

Key Messages

  • Institutionalization: Ten-year agreement with FOPH ensures continuous national wastewater monitoring
  • Technological Maturity: Central analyses, digital PCR, multiplex tests enable efficient virus surveillance of 20% of the population
  • Dual Benefit: Combination of virus monitoring (SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV) and substance analysis (drugs, medications) for early detection and health trends
  • Pandemic Prevention: Better preparation for future pandemics through longer-term data series and trained team
  • Ethical Boundaries: Clear rejection of surveillance applications without epidemiological benefit

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality & Representativeness: How representative are the ten treatment plants (20% of the population) for national trends? What geographic or demographic blind spots emerge from this selection?

  2. Validity of Virus Quantification: How reliable is the conversion of virus RNA in wastewater to actual infection numbers in the population? Which variables (excretion rates, wastewater flow) affect measurement accuracy?

  3. Conflicts of Interest in Substance Monitoring: To what extent could the publication of consumption patterns (e.g., ketamine, cocaine) lead to stigmatization of cities or population groups? Who controls data usage?

  4. Causality Medication–Disease: Can an increase in cough medicine really provide early warning of disease outbreaks, or is the correlation too weak? Which counter-hypotheses (seasonal inventory levels, purchasing behavior) must be ruled out?

  5. Feasibility & Scaling: Is the automation of analyses directly at treatment plants technically and economically realistic? What costs arise for expansion to more sites?

  6. Limits of Wastewater Policing: How is it ensured in practice that Eawag is not pressured for surveillance purposes? What legal safeguards exist?

Sources

Primary Source: Press Release Eawag/FOPH – Continuation of Wastewater Monitoring is Secured – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/R2tqovVEDanDLYutVVHaX (February 18, 2026)

Supplementary Resources:

  • WISE Data Portal: https://wise.ethz.ch/ (Virus trends SARS-CoV-2, influenza)
  • DroMedario Data Portal: https://dromedario.ch (Substance monitoring)

Verification Status: ✓ February 18, 2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-check: February 18, 2026