Tempe Wastewater Measles Genetic Material Detections

City of Tempe provides wastewater monitoring data for measles genetic material from collection areas each representing over 3,000 people. Samples are collected over 24-hour periods and analyzed in a laboratory to detect viral presence. The dataset supports the Tempe Wastewater BioIntel Program's public health surveillance efforts.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal trends in measles genetic material detections across Tempe's wastewater collection areas.
• Map detection locations using the provided geographic file formats (GEOJSON, KML) to visualize potential community spread.
• Correlate wastewater detection data with other public health metrics for measles outbreak surveillance.
• Assess the sensitivity of laboratory testing by examining patterns of non-detects and positive samples over time.

Strengths

• Data is provided by the official City of Tempe government organization, ensuring authoritative sourcing.
• Samples represent aggregated wastewater from populations greater than 3,000 people per collection area, providing community-level insights.
• Data is available in multiple geographic formats (ARCGIS GEOSERVICES REST API, KML, GEOJSON) for spatial analysis.
• The dataset is licensed under CC-BY, allowing for flexible reuse and sharing.

Limitations

• The dataset cannot identify specific individuals or the exact number of infected persons contributing to a positive detection.
• Non-detects do not conclusively prove the absence of measles in the community due to factors like test sensitivity and variable viral shedding.
• Data coverage is limited to properties connected to Tempe's municipal sewer system, excluding visitors and septic system users.

Provenance

Source

City of Tempe

Collection Method

Continuous 24-hour wastewater collection from sampling sites, followed by laboratory analysis for measles genetic material.

Freshness

Last updated on March 14, 2026, indicating recent maintenance.

Geography

Tempe, Arizona, USA, with data from specific wastewater collection areas.