Assessing the performance and suitability of wastewater based-surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in public schools

Municipal wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) programs for SARS-CoV-2 were valuable tools for epidemiological modelling and informing COVID-19 health policy during the pandemic. We conducted a near to source study to assess the capacity and performance of SARS-CoV-2 WBS programs in schools relative to municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Only 4/17 schools screened had plumbing systems that were amenable to WBS. From December 2020 - March 2021 composite wastewater collected 2X/week from four schools and three municipal WWTP were assessed for SARS-CoV-2 and fecal biomarkers. Schools had lower rates of successful sample collection relative to WWTP (44.7% vs 100%, p<0.001). In a time of low COVID-19 activity, 13/64 of school samples were positive of SARS-CoV-2-N1 vs 100% of WWTP. SARS-CoV-2-N1 detected in school wastewater associated with and preceded clinically identified infections, but did not correlate with rates of overall absenteeism. Notably levels of SARS-CoV-2-N1 and fecal biomarkers were markedly lower in wastewater from schools relative to WWTP. While our SARS-CoV-2 WBS program in schools did generate a leading signal relative to clinical disease, the significantly lower levels of SARS-CoV-2 and fecal biomarkers suggests that toileting habits of children who may avoid defecation at school adversely impact school-based WBS of targets shed in feces.