National University

511 M.F. Jhocson St., Sampaloc Manila

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sanitary
Engineering

FSTROOM- ESE196
SEWAGE TREATMENT: OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE

CASE STUDY

MARJOELINA DIDULO
Student

ENGR. KHRIZELLE ANGELIQUE D. SABLAN

EnSE Professional Lecturer

June 5, 2020
CASE STUDY ON CORONAVIRUS PRESENT IN WASTEWATER

Different pathogens, including viruses are highly resistant in the water environment that is
commonly used for drinking water and sewage treatment despite of the decontamination process.
These viruses can be passed to humans through fecal-oral transmission. Wastewater control may be
significant in measuring the presence and prevalence of infectious diseases and viruses. Most of the
viruses can be determined by its fragments of RNA (a virus’s DNA) with the help of Wastewater-
Based Epidemiology (WBE) through digging into different sewage samples. The WBE comes in to
provide addition information on the spread of virus and to have an early warning of the possible re-
emergence of virus in the community. Immediate applications include informing policy regarding
disease control measures, and effective targeting of investment and efforts to control the pandemic.

A new approach to monitoring the novel coronavirus as well as other dangerous pathogens and
chemical agents is being developed and refined. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has spread
rapidly around the world and permeated all levels of society. There were studies claimed that the
spread of COVID-19 in the community has a connection in the amount of virus in wastewater and it
can be predicted that the spread of virus comes from the wastewater concentration. Analyzing
wastewater is an alternative way that researchers can track infectious diseases that are excreted in
urine or feces such as SARC-CoV-2. Based on the recent study of Zhang and Wolfel, the SARS-CoV-2
is present in wastewater and it was shown that live SARS-CoV-2 can be isolated from the feces and
urine of infected people and the virus can typically survive for up to several days in an appropriate
environment after exiting the human body. Monitoring the influent can estimate how widespread
the coronavirus is because wastewater surveillance can account for those who have not been testes
and have only mild or no symptoms who has detected SARC-CoV-2 genetic material. However, the
risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus from the feces of an infected person appears to be low.
Current evidence suggests that infectious COVID-19 virus may be excreted in feces, regardless of
diarrhea or signs of intestinal infection. But according to World Health Organization (WHO) there is
no evidence to date that the COVID-19 virus has been transmitted via sewerage systems with or
without wastewater treatment. However, some of its fragments have been found in stool and
excreta therefor, the WHO wants that the wastewater treatment plants should be treated and well-
managed centralized wastewater treatment works. Standard practices associated with wastewater
treatment plant operations should be sufficient to protect wastewater workers from the virus that
causes COVID-19.