Emerging technologies to monitor and act on drinking water contamination. Panel discussion.

Fecal contamination in drinking water affects over 4.4 billion people worldwide, with impacts spanning low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Socioeconomically marginalized communities—regardless of income level—are disproportionately affected by poor water quality. However, continuous in-situ monitoring of fecal contamination remains limited due to a lack of accessible, validated, and autonomous E. coli detection technologies. This session brings together academic researchers, technologists, and water practitioners to explore the current state of in-situ monitoring, highlighting key technical gaps, emerging innovations, and case studies from diverse contexts—including rural Africa, urban Latin America, and major U.S. cities like Chicago. By bridging research and real-world applications, the session aims to advance global public health, water quality management, and progress toward SDGs 6 and 9.