Minnesota WAVE Study

About the Minnesota WAVE Study

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) conducted the Minnesota Water and Virus Evaluation (WAVE) Study to see if there is an association between the presence of viruses in drinking water sources and acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in a community.

• Monitor – MDH partnered with six Minnesota community water utilities to test the drinking water source weekly. We used advanced methods to see if viruses were present in drinking water sources.
• Evaluate – MDH asked people in six communities to complete weekly surveys about any illness they may have had the week before.  
• Inform – Results from the Minnesota WAVE Study will be used to inform future public health actions.

When?

• The Minnesota WAVE Study took place from May 2015 to April 2016.

Why?

• The 2013 Minnesota Legislature directed MDH to conduct a groundwater virus monitoring project using funding from the state’s Clean Water Fund. The project has two components: a monitoring study and the WAVE Study. Understanding the relationship between water quality and health will help us determine if viruses present a human health risk in Minnesota drinking water.

What did the study find?

• Water and Virus Evaluation (WAVE) Study: Frequently Asked Questions

More:

• Minnesota's Legacy: Minnesota Groundwater Virus Study