Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been widely used to monitor the spread of COVID-19. We must now consider building on the knowledge acquired over the past three years to extend the use of the technique to a broad range of human health and lifestyle aspects.
Widely believed to be among the most promising aspects of WBE is the potential of applying the approach to study a range of population health issues and lifestyle aspects, including dietary habits, illegal drug usage, or medications. This technology is relatively inexpensive and offers an opportunity to anticipate increases in certain health outcomes while targeting interventions.