H.R. 766: Surveilling Effluent Water for Epidemic Response Act

This bill, known as the Surveilling Effluent Water for Epidemic Response Act (or SEWER Act), aims to enhance the monitoring of infectious diseases through wastewater analysis. Here’s a breakdown of its primary components:

Establishment of a National Wastewater Surveillance System

The bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to:

• Expand and coordinate the activities of a National Wastewater Surveillance System.
• Detect and monitor various pathogens in wastewater. This includes but is not limited to:
• SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19)
• Influenza
• Mpox
• Dengue
• West Nile virus
• Respiratory syncytial virus

Funding

To support the activities mandated by the bill, it authorizes the appropriation of:

• $150 million for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2030.
• These funds will remain available until they are expended.

Compliance by Wastewater Utilities

The bill includes a provision that clarifies:

• No wastewater utility or service provider is obligated to comply with requests for surveillance of wastewater under this act.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness

The overall goal of the bill is to improve public health emergency preparedness and response by utilizing wastewater analysis to detect outbreaks of infectious diseases before they escalate. This proactive approach aims to enhance public health safety and facilitate timely interventions during epidemiological crises.

Relevant Companies

• None found