Directions for wastewater-based surveillance in Europe – insights from the EU-WISH 2025 International Workshop
Abstract
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.
Related
- Multimodal genomic surveillance for respiratory pathogens at four U.S. international airports: A comparison of air, wastewater, clinical, and national surveillance data
- The 9th International Sport and Discrimination Conference: insights and future directions
- Strengthening community engagement for the control of Aedes-borne diseases: Insights from an international workshop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Generating Actionable Data From Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance: Insights From the Fleming Fund's International Experience.
- Evaluation of wastewater SARS-CoV-2 surveillance for monitoring COVID-19 trends and early warning in Sweden, 2023–2024
BibTeX
@article{kildemoes2026directions,
title = {{Directions for wastewater-based surveillance in Europe – insights from the EU-WISH 2025 International Workshop}},
author = {Anna Kildemoes and Wim G Meijer and Blandine Fauvel and Joanne Chadwick and Jos van Vlerken and Márta Vargha and Tarja Pitkänen and Willemijn Lodder and José A Baz Lomba and Henry-Michel Cauchie and Alexander Schattschneider and Marie Lesenfants and Guiseppina La Rosa and Iria G Mariño and Jerome Lock-Wah-Hoon and Elisabetta Suffredini and Michalis Koureas and Veronik Hutse and Teemu Gunnar and Heike Schmitt and Hans Peter Stüger and Maria Petala and Elisabete Valério and Laila Toro and Albert Bosch and Nikolaos Thomaidis and Evangelia Ntzani and Rosa M Pintó and Benoit Gassilloud and Ábel Cs. Németh and Dimosthenis Chochlakis and Sara Castiglioni and Bilge Kocamemi and Niamh Tiernan and Bernd M Gawlik and Kate Medlicott and Maximillian Riess and Anastasia Koutsolioutsou and Grigoris Spanakos and Xenofon Bakouras and Maria Stamou and Pikka Jokelainen and Lene W Krogsgaard and Steen Ethelberg},
journal = {Open Research Europe},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.12688/openreseurope.23935.1},
url = {https://anses.hal.science/anses-05766871v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Directions for wastewater-based surveillance in Europe – insights from the EU-WISH 2025 International Workshop
AU - Anna Kildemoes
AU - Wim G Meijer
AU - Blandine Fauvel
AU - Joanne Chadwick
AU - Jos van Vlerken
AU - Márta Vargha
AU - Tarja Pitkänen
AU - Willemijn Lodder
AU - José A Baz Lomba
AU - Henry-Michel Cauchie
AU - Alexander Schattschneider
AU - Marie Lesenfants
AU - Guiseppina La Rosa
AU - Iria G Mariño
AU - Jerome Lock-Wah-Hoon
AU - Elisabetta Suffredini
AU - Michalis Koureas
AU - Veronik Hutse
AU - Teemu Gunnar
AU - Heike Schmitt
AU - Hans Peter Stüger
AU - Maria Petala
AU - Elisabete Valério
AU - Laila Toro
AU - Albert Bosch
AU - Nikolaos Thomaidis
AU - Evangelia Ntzani
AU - Rosa M Pintó
AU - Benoit Gassilloud
AU - Ábel Cs. Németh
AU - Dimosthenis Chochlakis
AU - Sara Castiglioni
AU - Bilge Kocamemi
AU - Niamh Tiernan
AU - Bernd M Gawlik
AU - Kate Medlicott
AU - Maximillian Riess
AU - Anastasia Koutsolioutsou
AU - Grigoris Spanakos
AU - Xenofon Bakouras
AU - Maria Stamou
AU - Pikka Jokelainen
AU - Lene W Krogsgaard
AU - Steen Ethelberg
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/25
JO - Open Research Europe
DO - 10.12688/openreseurope.23935.1
UR - https://anses.hal.science/anses-05766871v1
AB - 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.
SN - 2732-5121
ER -