DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.23935.1 ISSN: 2732-5121

Directions for wastewater-based surveillance in Europe – insights from the EU-WISH 2025 International Workshop

Anna Kildemoes, Wim G. Meijer, Blandine Fauvel, Joanne Chadwick, Jos van Vlerken, Márta Vargha, Tarja Pitkänen, Willemijn Lodder, José A. Baz Lomba, Henry-Michel Cauchie, Alexander Schattschneider, Marie Lesenfants, Guiseppina La Rosa, Iria G. Mariño, Jerome Lock-Wah-Hoon, Elisabetta Suffredini, Michalis Koureas, Veronik Hutse, Teemu Gunnar, Heike Schmitt, Hans Peter Stüger, Maria Petala, Elisabete Valério, Laila Toro, Albert Bosch, Nikolaos Thomaidis, Evangelia Ntzani, Rosa M. Pintó, Benoit Gassilloud, Ábel Cs. Németh, Dimosthenis Chochlakis, Sara Castiglioni, Bilge Kocamemi, Niamh Tiernan, Bernd M. Gawlik, Kate Medlicott, Maximillian Riess, Anastasia Koutsolioutsou, Grigoris Spanakos, Xenofon Bakouras, Maria Stamou, Pikka Jokelainen, Lene W. Krogsgaard, Steen Ethelberg
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In recent years, wastewater-based surveillance (WBS), also referred to as wastewater environmental surveillance (WES), has developed into an important and promising tool for monitoring pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and a wide range of chemical substances. To further develop, strengthen and institutionalise WBS capacity across Europe, public health organisations from 26 countries have joined forces in the European Joint Action project “EU-Wastewater Integrated Surveillance for Public Health” (EU-WISH). Half-way through the project implementation period, an International Workshop and Consortium Meeting was held at University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, which connected EU-WISH partners and external stakeholders. A series of thematic breakout-sessions held at this workshop provided reflections on progress and developments in the rapidly growing WBS field. Here, we position the EU-WISH project in the WBS landscape and summarise key insights, current EU-WISH activities, and continued challenges. This open letter aims to set direction for and inform the future development of WBS in Europe, while maintaining a global outlook. Topics presented and discussed include: prioritisation of targets for surveillance; cross-border comparisons of WBS data in a landscape of multiple analysis set-ups; integration and institutionalisation within the field of WBS; sustainable training and capacity building; and networks, actors and the need for continued cooperation. The derived insights underscore the need for sustained EU-level coordination, institutionalised WBS programmes and integration of WBS into public health systems across Europe.

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