WASHINGTON: Today, Aug. 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $9 million in grant funding to four institutions for research to address knowledge gaps and better identify and manage antimicrobial resistance risk. Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health concern and can make it harder to treat certain infections in animals and people. Wastewater treatment facilities are potential receptors and sources for antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes.

“Antimicrobial resistance is a major concern for public health and the environment,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The research conducted by these grantees will inform how wastewater treatment plants can help manage this risk as we work together to protect our water resources and public health.”

Wastewater treatment facilities receive wastewater from a mix of sources including industry, households and hospitals, all of which can contribute to a high density of pathogens and antimicrobial drug residues that enter the plant. Treated wastewater is often released back into rivers and streams but may still contain both antimicrobial products and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

These research projects will measure the environmental health impact of antimicrobial resistance in wastewater and advance understanding of the evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Grantees will study wastewater treatment systems across the country and review past literature and data to assess risk in wastewater. Projects involve developing a risk assessment framework, conducting a systematic review of genomic data, and evaluating the fate of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and genes in wastewater treatment processes.

The following institutions are receiving awards:

• University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to compare antimicrobial resistance removal treatment processes and wastewater resistance patterns over the past 10 years with data from hospital clinics, sewer overflows and rivers.
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, to establish a risk assessment framework to estimate human health risks based on measurements of antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistant genes in surface water exposed to municipal wastewater and biosolids.
• The Water Research Foundation, Denver, Colorado, to develop a human health risk assessment framework that will inform and prioritize management options for mitigating wastewater sources of antimicrobial resistance.
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, to sample wastewater treatment utilities across the U.S and conduct a systematic literature review and meta-analysis on U.S.-based wastewater metagenomic data to understand the impacts of seasonal/regional variations and treatment processes on wastewater antimicrobial resistance.

Learn more about the grant funded recipients.  

Learn more about EPA research grants.