“As more states look for ways to reopen, they’re hampered by the lack of sufficient testing for the coronavirus, making its prevalence impossible to gauge.
So public health officials are now looking at another way to measure the spread of the contagion: by examining raw sewage.
If sewage can transmit the virus, older cities such as Boston would be particularly vulnerable.
“We have ancient, sometimes cracked, sometimes clay sewer pipes, and virtually every rainstorm … can lead to massive releases of raw sewage,” said Kyla Bennett, director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility in New England, an advocacy group.”
