Wastewater testing for COVID-19 and other viruses on a Northern Plains tribal reservation
Official title: Strengthening COVID-19 prevention strategies via wastewater surveillance in a Northern Plains Tribe
Funded at Black Hills Ctr/american Indian Health · NIH-11176969 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will set up wastewater testing in 15 communities on a Northern Plains Lakota reservation to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses earlier to help the local community.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Black Hills Ctr/american Indian Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rapid City, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $354,974 |
| NIH project number | 5S06GM146079-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176969 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are residents, household members, local health staff, and Tribal stakeholders in the 15 communities of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe reservation who are part of community surveillance or interview activities.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the covered reservation or individuals seeking personal diagnostic test results will not receive direct clinical diagnoses from wastewater surveillance.
What this research studies
If you live on the reservation, this program would collect wastewater from 15 communities to look for viral material like SARS-CoV-2, using laboratory sequencing to identify viral strains. The team will work closely with Tribal leaders and local health services to design and run the sampling in ways the community approves. Wastewater results will be coordinated with the reservation’s existing COVID-19 surveillance to give a community-level picture of viral activity. Researchers will also interview Tribal stakeholders and members to understand attitudes about wastewater testing and how it could be used locally.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could give earlier, community-wide warning of viral outbreaks so local health leaders can target prevention and resources faster.
How similar studies have gone: Wastewater surveillance has successfully detected SARS-CoV-2 in many cities and campus settings, though applying sequencing-based wastewater testing in very remote Tribal reservations is less common.
Where this research is happening
-
Black Hills Ctr/american Indian Health
Rapid City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Henderson, Jeffrey a — Black Hills Ctr/american Indian Health
- Study coordinator: Henderson, Jeffrey a
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.