Senators Tim Scott and Cory Booker have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the nation's wastewater surveillance network. The PREDICT Act aims to detect infectious disease outbreaks earlier through sewage monitoring. It would enhance CDC grants and create a national dashboard for public health officials.
Last week, Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Public Health Response and Emergency Detection through Integrated Wastewater Community Testing Act, known as the PREDICT Act. Joining them are Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ted Budd (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Angus King (I-ME). The bill seeks to bolster monitoring systems that analyze sewage for traces of viruses and bacteria shed by infected individuals in communities. This method detects pathogens before symptoms appear or in asymptomatic cases, serving as an early warning for public health officials. Officials report it has identified measles, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza A, and COVID-19, with potential net benefits of $1,500 per person in a future pandemic. A recent measles outbreak in South Carolina's Upstate region highlights the need for such tools. “Wastewater monitoring provides communities with an early warning when infectious diseases are spreading,” Scott said in a statement. “As South Carolina continues responding to the measles outbreak, it’s clear that early detection tools are critical to protecting families and helping public health officials respond quickly to emerging threats.” Tara Sabo-Attwood, dean of the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, stated: “Wastewater-based epidemiology is a powerful tool that allows us to detect public health threats in real time — often before clinical cases or other health outcomes emerge.” Researchers there collaborate with Clemson University, Medical University of South Carolina, and Claflin University on early warning systems. The PREDICT Act directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award grants to state, tribal, and local health departments, universities, nonprofits, and public-private partnerships for wastewater programs. It also funds advanced labs to detect new pathogens and track multiple diseases, improves data transparency via a national dashboard, and requires a CDC strategic plan for a nationwide bio-surveillance network.
