Phase 1 of the Coalition’s Inter-Laboratory Study was conducted from July to September 2020 in collaboration with Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory.

Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater is a promising tool that complements other indicators of COVID-19 prevalence in a community, such as clinical testing. Since March 2020, research efforts to further develop this tool have accelerated across the globe and a wide range of approaches and techniques have evolved. However, to make reliable comparisons of data within and between communities, the inherent variability of these evolving methods must be considered. The goal of the Coalition’s Inter-Laboratory Study was to better understand the variability associated with methods that are being used in Canada.

A cross-section of eight laboratories, with demonstrated experience and capacity to analyze SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater using RT-qPCR, participated in the study. The National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg played an important role as the coordinating reference laboratory. Surrogates of SARS-CoV-2 were spiked at low and high concentrations into a common wastewater matrix and distributed to the participating laboratories as blind samples for analysis.

The findings of the Inter-Laboratory Study emphasized that different protocols can yield comparable results, provided that sufficient quality assurance/quality control measures are in place and reported in adequate detail. The study’s key results and recommendations have been captured in an outcomes report.

Who should read this report?

  1. Public health leaders seeking to understand the potential (and limitations) of wastewater surveillance.
  2. Decision makers considering the feasibility of wastewater surveillance programs.
  3. Laboratories in the process of developing or adapting SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR methods to various wastewater matrices.

Webinar series

Inter-Laboratory Study outcomes and implications

December 1, 2020 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. EST

Wastewater-based epidemiology in Canada: Use cases, challenges and next steps

December 1, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST

Looking for more information?

Contact Katrina Hitchman, director of program development, at [email protected]