#wastewater monitoring

[liminalweirdo]

Ottawa's COVID wastewater surveillance program extended for another year (but not in the rest of Ontario)

After the Health Canada ordered all previous vaccines destroyed, leaving Canadians without any covid vaccines for weeks, many Canadians have been "asking why it is taking so long for Health Canada to approve new vaccines."

[...] The United States expedited the process and approved the updated mRNA vaccines in August. They were made available almost immediately because of the ongoing COVID wave that has killed up to 1,000 Americans in recent weeks. The vaccines are also approved in Europe. Attaran said there are provisions that would allow Canada’s health minister to approve the vaccines immediately if they have been approved in the U.S. Attaran said he planned to take his family to the U.S. to get vaccinated with the updated shots — at a cost of $200 per vaccine."

But now, at least, thanks to CHEO, the CHEO Research Institute, the University of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health announced an extension of wastewater surveillance on Friday (no thanks to the provincial government), which gives people in the community at least some autonomy to check and estimate covid risk level, instead of what we were forced to do before: wade through the veritable viral soup outside with our fingers crossed, apparently

Ottawa will be one of the few communities in Ontario where wastewater surveillance continues after the provincial government cut funding for the program early, with little advance notice, at the end of July.

[civicainfrastructure]

Inflow And Infiltration (I&I) Inspection Services

Ensure the efficiency and reliability of your wastewater systems with our expert Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) Inspection Services. We proudly serve Ontario municipalities, land developers, civil engineers, and conservation authorities, helping identify and address I&I issues that can lead to increased treatment costs, system overloads, and environmental risks.

[intelligentchristianlady]

PSA. You're welcome

[galaxyslime]

They're already defunding the labs that analyze and report wastewater samples. The lab my plant sent samples to faithfully since the pandemic started was defunded in August and we still haven't found a suitable replacement.

[stephenist]

Source

CDC Wastewater Viral Activity Monitoring

BreatheTeq

[jack85200]

It will not be untrue to say that all the industries in current times are coinciding with the environmental field. With the stringent environmental regulations, industries are being pushed to follow methodologies that are more environment friendly. IOT-based systems come into the picture for these analyses and monitoring. Zero waste discharge, recycling, and green approach are a few terminologies that shed light on the qualitative standard of any industry. In this context, mining and metallurgical processes discard the most harmful and toxic waste. Regardless of the toxicity, every industry discharges the wastewater following the regulations where it is being discarded. Water resource management, free-surface flows, and truly multiphase is Paanduv’s expertise.

Scour and sediment transport to model problems like flow through bridge pier, dredging, flows in river beds, and ocean are addressed and modeled with accuracy. 

Paanduv’s expertise in truly multiphase systems, free-surface flows, reactions, and chemical kinetics makes us the best candidate for 3D modeling of these processes.

read more about - water and environment

[chriswu08]

Wastewater Treatment Monitoring Modbus RTU to 4G wireless Acquisition Control RTU S275

1.Background

The entire system of traditional sewage treatment equipment is operated by an automatic control system. Various parameters such as water output, water quality, pool water level, and PH value cannot be obtained, and faults can only be discovered through personnel inspections.

The oxygen content of the biological contact oxidation tank, the operating status of the blower, the liquid level and turbidity of the sedimentation tank, the operating status of the return pump, and the operating status of the aerator cannot be remotely monitored or controlled.

2. Program overview

The BLIIOT technology sewage treatment monitoring system is a cloud-based integrated monitoring cloud service platform for the Internet of Things. The platform can be adapted to various sensor equipment, monitor and manage the status and operation of the access equipment in real time, and remotely operate the equipment. , through the cloud platform docking terminal equipment to achieve accurate perception, precise operation, and fine management, providing a one-stop cloud IoT platform that is stable, reliable, and low-cost maintenance.

Real-time monitoring

When the device is connected to the cloud platform, the latest data can be viewed in real time, and real-time monitoring is more assured.

Remote control

Remotely issue commands through the cloud platform to deal with emergencies urgently.

Abnormal alarm

When an abnormal situation occurs, users can be notified through various channels to ensure that the alarm information is delivered in real time.

Data Analysis

Combined with the big data of the Internet of Things, trend analysis and risk early warning assessment are carried out for equipment data.

Large screen data display

The Internet of Things system can be monitored online and remotely controlled on the computer PC, mobile APP, and large screen.

3. Solution advantag

Support real-time video monitoring;

Multiple notifications ensure that the alarm information is delivered on time;

Triggers can be set for pre-management;

Emergency disposal, rapid response to remote disposal in case of emergency;

Multi-point monitoring, the same account can monitor multiple devices at the same time;

No distance limit, using the mature golden pigeon cloud platform + 4G transmission global monitoring;

Historical record preservation, the platform saves historical data for up to half a year, and supports the download and export of historical records;

Comprehensive monitoring of water level, water flow, water temperature, residual chlorine, oxygen content and other equipment operating parameters.

It is suitable for sewage treatment equipment manufacturing units, sewage treatment equipment maintenance units, sewage treatment units, etc.

4. Conclusion

The impact of industrial Internet of Things technology on rural sewage reconstruction projects is of great significance.In the Internet of Things + remote monitoring operation and management model, it is applied to the remote management of distributed domestic sewage treatment equipment in rural areas, providing users with standardized information management models for key businesses such as water quality monitoring, safety management, and data analysis and planning. Integrate and analyze all process information such as operation, improve user management efficiency and production efficiency, and provide support for energy saving and emission reduction, process improvement, and smooth and intelligent management. Multiple sewage treatment plants transmit the operating data of sewage treatment plant equipment to the monitoring center in real time through 4G communications, realizing centralized "one-stop" monitoring and distributed management of the Internet of Things.

[inflagrante-delicatessen]

&&

[tzifron]

Worldwide, there were more than 11,000 reported deaths from COVID between mid-December 2023 and mid-January 2024, and more than half of those deaths occurred in the U.S. In that same time frame, nearly one million cases were reported to the World Health Organization globally (although reduced testing and reporting means this is likely a vast undercount). In particular, epidemiologists are monitoring the newest variant of SARS-CoV-2, JN.1, and looking for any signs that it may be more severe than previous strains.

Although the WHO declared an end to the COVID public health emergency in May 2023, the organization has emphasized that the pandemic isn’t over—it’s just entered an endemic phase, which means that the virus will continue to circulate indefinitely.

[...]

How would you describe the overall state of COVID at this point in the pandemic?

COVID’s not in the news every day, but it’s still a global health risk. If we look at wastewater estimates, the actual circulation [of SARS-CoV-2] is somewhere between two and 20 times higher than what’s actually being reported by countries. The virus is rampant. We’re still in a pandemic. There’s a lot of complacency at the individual level, and more concerning to me is that at the government level.

[...]

"We understand you don’t want to hear about it. I don’t want to talk about it. But we need to because there’s more we can do. We cannot prevent all infections. We cannot prevent all deaths. But there’s a hell of a lot more that we can do to keep people safe and save them from losing a loved one"

[vague-humanoid]

California-based engineer and scientist Patrick Vaughan made a troubling discovery July 10. Dozens of facilities providing COVID-19 wastewater data went offline, seemingly overnight. 

Vaughan had been following WastewaterSCAN, a national program that monitors wastewater for diseases. He noticed that 42 of the previously reporting 194 facilities suddenly displayed small blue triangles with the message “data is no longer collected from this site.” The development came just as people across the U.S. scrambled for information during a summer COVID wave that even infected President Joe Biden.

“This is a major blow to our COVID wastewater tracking abilities,” Vaughan told his followers in a video he posted the same day.

Wastewater, which comes from processes such as laundry or toilet flushing, has emerged as a key indicator for the prevalence of COVID-19 in the general population since testing rates plummeted in 2022. State and federal governments have also unraveled many of the other metrics used to track the virus. For example, as of May 1, U.S. hospitals are no longer required to report key COVID data to the government. Several states have also stopped tracking COVID-19 infection rates altogether.

Still, wastewater surveillance is plagued by the same inconsistencies and lack of resources that other metrics have suffered from in the past, and the data isn’t easy for the average person to interpret.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week. #5

Feb 9-16 2024

The Department of Education released the first draft for a wide ranging student loan forgiveness plan. After Biden's first attempt at student debt forgiveness was struck down at the Supreme Court in 2023, this new plan is an attempt to replace it with something that will hold up in court. The plan hopes to forgive debt for anyone facing "financial hardship" which has been as broadly defined as possible. Another part of the plan hopes to eliminate $10-20,000 in interest from all student loans, as well as a wide ranging public Information push to inform people of other forgiveness programs they qualify for but don't know about.

The House passed 1.2 Billion Dollars to combat human trafficking, including $175 million in housing assistance to human trafficking victims

The Department of Transportation announced $970 Million for improvements at 114 airports across 44 states and 3 territories. They include $40 million to O'Hare International in Chicago to improve passenger experience by reconfiguring TSA and baggage claims, and installing ADA compliant bathrooms(!). The loans will also go to connecting airports to mass transit, boosted sustainability, installing solar and wind power, and expanding service to under served committees around the country.

Medicare & Medicaid released new guidelines to allow people to pay out of pocket prescription drug coats in monthly installments rather than as a lump sum. This together with capping the price of certain drugs and penalties for drug companies that rise prices over inflation is expected to save the public millions on drug coasts and assure people don't pass on a prescription because they can't pay upfront

The EPA announced its adding 150 more communities to its Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative. 2.2 Million Americans do not have basic running water and indoor plumbing. Broken and unreliable wastewater infrastructure exposed many of those to dangerous raw sewage. These Americans live primarily in poor and rural communities, many predominantly Black communities in the south as well as those on tribal lands. The program is aiming to close the wastewater gap and insure all Americans have access to reliable clear water.

The White House announced deferred action for Palestinians in the US. This means any Palestinian living in the United States, no mater their legal status, can not be deported for any reason for the next 18 months.

The Department of Energy announced $60 million in investment into clean geothermal energy. The plan will hopefully lead to a 90% decrease in the coasts of geothermal. DOE estimates hold that geothermal might be able to power the hopes of 65 million Americans by 2050 making it a key step in the Biden administration plan for a carbon-free grid by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

The EPA launched $83 million to help improve air quality monitoring across America. With updated equipment local agencies will be better able to report on air quality, give more localized reports of bad air quality and the country will be better equipped to start mitigating the problem

The Department of Energy announced $63 million in investments in domestic heat-pump manufacturing. Studies have shown that heat-pumps reduce green house gases by 50% over the most efficient condensing gas boilers, as technology improves this could rise to 75% by 2030. Heat pump water heaters meanwhile are 2 to 3 times as energy efficient as conventional electric water heaters.

HHS awarded $5.1 million to organizations working with LGBTQI+ Youth and their Families. The programs focus on preventing homelessness, fighting depression and suicide, drug use and HIV prevention and treatment, as well as  family counseling and support interventions tailored for LGBTQI+ families.

The House passed two bills in support of the oppressed Uyghur minority in China. The "No Dollars To Uyghur Forced Labor" Act would prohibit the US government from spending any money on projects that source materials from Xinjiang. The Uyghur Policy Act would create a permanent post at the State Department to coordinate policy on Uyghur Issues, much like the special ambassador on antisemitism.

[civicainfrastructure]

CLI-ECA Regulation Compliance Services

Ensure compliance with CLI-ECA regulations effortlessly with our comprehensive services tailored for municipalities and land developers. We specialize in wastewater management and monitoring, offering a full spectrum of solutions including inflow and infiltration (I/I) projects, land development engineering, municipal class EA studies, asset management planning, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, stormwater management, flow and rainfall monitoring, and CCTV sewer and drainage inspection services. Partner with us to seamlessly navigate regulatory requirements and optimize your development projects.

[wumblr]

hey i know we all know i don't want to be an alarmist but covid in indiana wastewater monitoring has surpassed omicron peak. if you're not in the ~36% of the population fully vaccinated with new 2023 booster you might want to get on that today

[allthecanadianpolitics]

A whole host of disasters waiting to happen. This is conservative "governance".

Remember when Mike Harris decided to stop monitoring water quality in Ontario?

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/i-was-shocked-ontario-to-cancel-widely-used-wastewater-surveillance-program

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

There are an increasing number of states across the U.S. where "very high" levels of the virus that causes COVID-19 are present in wastewater.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Idaho, New Mexico and South Dakota all had "very high" levels of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in their wastewater during the week between November 17 and November 23, 2024.

The week prior, between November 10 and November 16, only New Mexico's wastewater had this level of the virus present.

Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire currently have "high" levels of COVID-19, while "moderate" levels were detected in Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Wyoming.

(Follow link for interactive map!)

Nineteen states had "low" levels, while 14 states and D.C. had "minimal" levels of the SARS-CoV-2 virus present in wastewater.

Between November 10 and November 16, "high" levels were detected in Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and South Dakota, with "moderate" levels of the virus detected in Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Wyoming.

The data from New Hampshire, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Dakota all have limited coverage for the most current data, which means it is "based on a small segment (less than 5 percent) of the population and may not be representative of the state/territory," the CDC explains. Additionally, North Dakota has no data for this period.

The CDC monitors COVID-19 levels in wastewater as part of its surveillance strategy to track the spread of the virus in communities. Infected individuals shed the virus in their feces, meaning that monitoring wastewater can reveal increases in infection rates earlier than clinical testing or hospitalizations.

"The wastewater viral activity level indicates whether the amount of virus in the wastewater is minimal, low, moderate, high or very high. The wastewater viral activity levels may indicate the risk of infection in an area," the CDC said.

Wastewater data helps public health officials allocate resources and make informed decisions about mask and vaccination policies.

In the week ending November 23, about 4.5 percent of COVID-19 tests around the country came back positive. This represents a 0.3 percent increase from the week prior. Some regions had rates of up to 6.3 percent, such as Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

"SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is constantly changing and accumulating mutations in its genetic code over time. New variants of SARS-CoV-2 are expected to continue to emerge. Some variants will emerge and disappear, while others will emerge and continue to spread and may replace previous variants," the CDC said in a statement.

Subvariant KP.3.1.1 made up 37 percent of COVID-19 variants in U.S. wastewater over the two weeks before November 23. The new XEC variant made up 24 percent, KP.3 made up 17 percent, JN.1 made up 8 percent and "other" made up 14 percent.

For the same period, variants detected in positive test samples were slightly different, with KP.3.1.1 making up 44 percent of recorded COVID infections, XEC totaling 38 percent and MC.1 composing 6 percent.