Deadline: 13-Dec-22
The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has launched the proposals for Integrating Wastewater-Based Epidemiology and Clinical Surveillance for Public Health and Utility Operations.
This project is funded by The Water Research Foundation (WRF) as part of WRF’s Research Priority Program.
Project Objectives
- Identify what data elements are being generated with clinical surveillance and how wastewaterbased epidemiology (WBE) methods can be employed to expand the scope and integrity of the typical clinical data spectrum inform public health decision makers and the general public.
- Inventory and characterize ubiquitous historical and emerging infectious micro agents present in water systems that are usually difficult to detect and propose how WBE methods can improve the scope and timeliness of watershed and community surveillance.
- Compare and explain how to blend clinical data with WBE metrics to help generate actionable information for timely, reassuring decision making regarding mitigation of infectious agents’ potential risk in water systems, and system damage causing closure or failure.
- Through new modelling, demonstrate how WBE metrics and clinical data can inform responsive public health policy for the mitigation of potential disease outbreaks originating in water systems.
- Contrast and justify minimum thresholds of clinical data and WBE metrics for when a water system should implement mitigation measures at utilities to preempt potential and latent disease outbreaks.
Research Approach
This RFP is intentionally flexible in the research approach to encourage creativity and originality from proposers. Study design is a critical element to a successful public and community health study, including practice and tracking activities. Proposers should describe how they will conduct the research to meet the objectives listed above.
Funding Information
- Applicants may request up to $225,000 in WRF funds for this project
- The anticipated period of performance for this project is 18 months from the contract start date.
Expected Deliverables
The Foundation anticipates innovative, proactive, forward-thinking deliverables and products and encourages creativity and originality from proposers. Ideally, deliverables should outline and showcase the data generated by each sector—public health (e.g., clinical surveillance data) and water/wastewater (e.g., wastewater-based epidemiology)—and be leveraged to more rapidly respond to emerging challenges, mitigate challenge impacts, and better protect public health, thus demonstrating the value of WBE in supporting community health.
Eligibility Criteria
Proposals will be accepted from domestic or international entities, including educational institutions, research organizations, governmental agencies, and consultants or other for-profit entities.
For more information, visit https://www.waterrf.org/open-rfps