Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton ─ Interim Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Interlocal Agreement
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 304
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of an interlocal agreement with Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 304 to exchange wastewater surveillance data and all related appurtenances for the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) program.
end
Background and Discussion:
The purpose of this agreement is to discuss each Party’s role for the coordination of the wastewater testing, analysis, and subsequent exchange of information between the parties through the WBE program, a program developed by Harris County Public Health designed to test and analyze wastewater data. This will allow our program the opportunity to expand surveillance coverage, streamline operations through standardized protocols, and train staff in advanced analytical methods. These efforts will ensure our team is well-equipped to respond to emerging public health threats effectively.
Expected Impact:
Installing wastewater samplers enables wastewater surveillance to function as an early detection system for potential outbreaks or surges in communities. When paired with clinical case data, this approach provides public health officials with better insights to implement necessary strategies, improving public health intervention and mitigating the spread of disease.
Alternative Options:
There are no alternative options that we are aware of at this moment
County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: N: Improve the health behaviors of community members.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1):
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):
Economy Initiative (Goal 3):
Health Initiative (Goal 4):
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5):
Housing Initiative (Goal 6):
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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N/A |
|
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Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
|
Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
Wastewater Surveillance Program |
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Grants - Proposed Budget (To be filled out by Grants staff only) |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
|
Local Match Source - Existing Budget: |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Personnel(Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: August 26, 2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): August 26, 2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Jennifer Kiger, MPH, Director, Office of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Emerging Diseases, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): Interlocal Agreement, Signature Page