India to Expand Wastewater Surveillance to 75 Cities by 2027 Under One Health Mission

India is set to expand its wastewater surveillance network as part of the National One Health Mission, with monitoring for 13 priority pathogens currently taking place across 47 cities. The programme is expected to reach 75 cities by 2027, strengthening the country’s ability to identify potential disease threats before they develop into wider outbreaks.

The update was shared by Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in a letter to Rajya Sabha member Ajeet Gopchade. The letter outlined several activities being carried out under the National One Health Mission, including syndromic surveillance and integrated monitoring involving humans, animals and wildlife.

Wastewater surveillance is increasingly being used as a public-health monitoring tool because sewage can contain biological information from a large population. Testing wastewater samples can help researchers identify the presence of pathogens circulating within communities, potentially providing an early signal of infectious disease activity.

The planned expansion will take the existing network from 47 cities to 75 cities in 2027. The programme currently focuses on 13 priority pathogens. Such surveillance can provide public-health authorities with additional information alongside hospital reports, laboratory testing and other disease-monitoring systems.

The latest development is part of a broader effort to build an integrated disease surveillance system in India. The National One Health Mission brings together different sectors because infectious disease risks can cross the boundaries between people, animals and the environment. The Union Health Ministry has previously highlighted integrated surveillance, laboratory capacity and coordination between departments as important parts of the mission.

The government’s work on One Health also extends beyond wastewater monitoring. According to Dr Bahl’s letter, five genomic and metagenomic hubs have been established to improve the country’s ability to detect novel or previously unknown pathogens. These facilities can support the identification and analysis of biological threats that may not be picked up quickly through conventional surveillance methods.

The development comes as India also considers strengthening its wider biosecurity framework. The Ministry of Home Affairs has worked with stakeholders on a draft National Biosecurity Policy, following calls for a more time-bound national strategy covering biological threats, laboratory-related incidents and emerging infectious diseases.

The National One Health Mission has been designed around the idea that human health cannot be separated from animal and environmental health. At a review meeting in September 2025, the Union Health Ministry said 16 ministries and departments were working with the Department of Health Research, the nodal department for the mission. The meeting also identified wastewater surveillance, wildlife surveillance and stronger approaches to biosecurity as areas requiring continued attention.

For India, expanding wastewater surveillance could give public-health authorities another layer of information when tracking infectious diseases. Moving from 47 cities to 75 by 2027 would also widen the geographic coverage of a system designed to detect health threats at the community level. The success of the expansion, however, will depend on consistent testing, laboratory capacity, data interpretation and timely action by health authorities.

The development marks another step towards a more integrated approach to disease surveillance, with India seeking to strengthen early detection across human, animal and environmental health systems.