These L.A. county restaurants have been shut down by the health department
The following restaurants and markets in Los Angeles County have been shut down by the county's public health department from May 1 through May 22, 2025. Some have also been allowed to reopen after meeting health requirements.
The inspections examine food safety practices and verify adherence to health and safety code requirements. This includes maintaining safe food temperatures, proper food handling, employee hygiene, an adequate supply of water and hot water, and keeping the business clean and vermin-free.
The Artist Pizzeria
City: Covina
Address: 113 N Citrus Ave
Closed: 05/22/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Urban Plates
City: Torrance
Address: 21503 Hawthorne Blvd # A
Closed: 05/22/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1 See Violation #23 For Details
Notun Bazar Restaurant
City: Artesia
Address: 18738 Pioneer
Closed: 05/22/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Korita Munchies & Water
City: South Gate
Address: 8200 Long Beach Blvd Ste B
Closed: 05/21/2025
Reopened: 05/22/2025
Reason: No closure reason provided
Bay Cities Importing, Inc
City: Santa Monica
Address: 1517 Lincoln Blvd
Closed: 05/21/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Junior's Market
City: Los Angeles
Address: 1905 Wilshire Blvd
Closed: 05/21/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Bay Cities Italian Market
City: Santa Monica
Address: 1517 Lincoln Blvd
Closed: 05/21/2025 Reason: No closure reason provided
Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel
City: Burbank
Address: 2500 N Hollywood Way
Closed: 05/20/2025
Reopened: 05/22/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
R J Southern Home Cooking
City: Downey
Address: 8852 Rosecrans Ave
Closed: 05/19/2025
Reopened: 05/22/2025 Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Basil Thai Kitchen
City: Downey
Address: 251 Stonewood St Spc Fc17
Closed: 05/19/2025
Reopened: 05/22/2025
Reason: Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
Moobongri La Crescenta
City: Glendale
Address: 3630 Foothill Blvd
Closed: 05/19/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Sheng Hui Dim Sum
City: West Covina
Address: 2889 Valley Blvd # J
Closed: 05/16/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Ranchers Market
City: Palmdale
Address: 9001 Elizabeth Lake Rd
Closed: 05/15/2025
Reopened: 05/19/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Us Donut & Croissants
City: Hawaiian Gardens
Address: 22416 Norwalk Blvd
Closed: 05/15/2025
Reopened: 05/19/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Korita Munchies & Water
City: South Gate
Address: 8200 Long Beach Blvd Ste B
Closed: 05/15/2025
Reopened: 05/22/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Danas Cafes & Boba
City: Los Angeles
Address: 4270 S Vermont Ave
Closed: 05/14/2025
Reopened: 05/19/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Yum Yum Franchise #9042f
City: Covina Address: 623 S Citrus Ave
Closed: 05/14/2025
Reopened: 05/16/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Quan Nem Ninh Hoa
City: West Covina
Address: 973 S Glendora Ave
Closed: 05/14/2025
Reopened: 05/16/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Dragon Express
City: Palmdale
Address: 3005 E Palmdale Blvd # 18
Closed: 05/13/2025
Reopened: 05/15/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Ted's Place
City: Harbor City
Address: 23401 S Normandie Ave
Closed: 05/12/2025
Reopened: 05/14/2025
Reason: 1. Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190 2. Unsafe Food Temperatures – California Health and Safety Code Section 113996
Jiou Chu Dumplings
City: Rowland Heights
Address: 18156 Colima Rd Closed: 05/12/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Kabuki Japanese Restaurant
City: Woodland Hills
Address: 20940 Ventura Blvd
Closed: 05/12/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Jack In The Box #301
City: Sunland Address: 8405 Foothill Blvd
Closed: 05/12/2025
Reopened: 05/12/2025
Reason: Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
Lordsburg Taphouse & Grill
City: La Verne
Address: 2335 D St
Closed: 05/12/2025
Reopened: 05/17/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Barbosa Tacos
City: El Monte
Address: 11016 Concert St
Closed: 05/09/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
La Borracha Hamburgerseria
City: El Monte
Address: 10814 Main St
Closed: 05/09/2025
Reopened: 05/17/2025 Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Walmart #1941
City: Glendora
Address: 1950 Auto Centre Dr
Closed: 05/08/2025
Reopened: 05/10/2025 Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Big Daddy's And Sons
City: Venice
Address: 1425 Ocean Front Walk
Closed: 05/08/2025
Reopened: 05/10/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Lucky Huang Bbq
City: Monterey Park
Address: 331 W Garvey Ave D
Closed: 05/08/2025
Reopened: 05/13/2025
Reason: Inspection Score Less Than 70 – LACC 8.04.225
Ocho Mexican Restaurant
City: Los Angeles
Address: 735 S Figueroa St # 126
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/12/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
West Coast Baptist Kitchen
City: Lancaster
Address: 4010 E Lancaster Blvd
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/09/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Wolfsglen
City: Los Angeles
Address: 1071 Glendon Ave
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/09/2025
Reason: 1. Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1 2. Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
Golden Ox
City: Whittier
Address: 10060 Mills Ave
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/09/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Queen Of Thai Cuisine
City: Gardena
Address: 14522 Crenshaw Blvd
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/12/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Wolfsglen
City: Los Angeles
Address: 1071 Glendon Ave
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/09/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Mi Ranchito Iii
City: Lancaster
Address: 826 W Avenue I
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/10/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
85 C Bakery Cafe
City: Cerritos
Address: 11482 South St
Closed: 05/07/2025
Reopened: 05/08/2025
Reason: Serious or Repeat Violations – California Health and Safety Code Section 114411
Jerry's Place Restaurant
City: Gardena
Address: 14044 Crenshaw Blvd
Closed: 05/06/2025 Reopened: 05/12/2025
Reason: No Public Health Permit – California Health and Safety Code Section 114381
La Copa De Oro Bar
City: South Gate
Address: 9624 Long Beach Blvd
Closed: 05/06/2025 Reopened: 05/09/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Quickmart
City: Los Angeles
Address: 2171 W Florence Ave
Closed: 05/06/2025
Reopened: 05/08/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Stuft Pizza
City: El Segundo
Address: 400 Main St
Closed: 05/06/2025
Reopened: 05/06/2025 Reason: No closure reason provided
Thai Boom
City: Los Angeles
Address: 10863 Venice Blvd
Closed: 05/05/2025
Reopened: 05/10/2025
Reason: Serious or Repeat Violations – California Health and Safety Code Section 114411
Mcdonut's
City: Montebello
Address: 1100 W Beverly Blvd
Closed: 05/04/2025
Reopened: 05/06/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Gourmet City Seafood Buffet
City: North Hollywood
Address: 12727 Sherman Way #A08
Closed: 05/01/2025
Reopened: 05/04/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
El Manantial Fruit And Natural Juice Bar
City: Whittier
Address: 13509 Telegraph Rd Unit C
Closed: 05/01/2025
Reopened: 05/08/2025
Reason: Serious or Repeat Violations – California Health and Safety Code Section 114411
Jinya Ramen Santa Monica
City: Santa Monica
Address: 2400 Main St Unit D
Closed: 05/01/2025
Reopened: 05/08/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Trattoria Natalie
City: Los Angeles
Address: 8681 W Pico Blvd
Closed: 04/30/2025
Reopened: 05/01/2025
Reason: No closure reason provided
Rhaburn Bamboo Kitchen
City: Los Angeles
Address: 6828 S Western Ave
Closed: 04/30/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Jun Bakery, Inc
City: Torrance
Address: 4340 Pacific Coast Hwy
Closed: 04/29/2025
Reopened: 04/29/2025
Reason: No Method To Clean And Sanitize Available California Health And Safety Code Section 114095
Charleys Philly Steaks
City: Lakewood
Address: 500 Lakewood Center Mall # 132
Closed: 04/29/2025
Reopened: 05/02/2025
Reason: No closure reason provided
Lotus Garden
City: Covina Address: 458 W Arrow Hwy
Closed: 04/29/2025
Reopened: 05/08/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
El Huarachito Restaurant
City: Los Angeles
Address: 3010 1/2 N Broadway
Closed: 04/29/2025
Reopened: 05/16/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Yi Mei Deli
City: Rowland Heights
Address: 18414 Colima Rd
Closed: 04/29/2025
Reopened: 05/01/2025
Reason: Serious or Repeat Violations – California Health and Safety Code Section 114411
Torrance Brew Yard
City: Torrance
Address: 19606 Normandie Ave
Closed: 04/29/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Sol Agave
City: Santa Monica
Address: 1733 Ocean Ave # 130
Closed: 04/29/2025
Reopened: 05/02/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Fusion Sushi
City: Torrance
Address: 3963 Pacific Coast Hwy
Closed: 04/28/2025
Reopened: 05/01/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Mariscos La Marea
City: Huntington Park
Address: 7312 Pacific Blvd
Closed: 04/28/2025
Reopened: 05/08/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Ten Shabu
City: West Covina
Address: 1015 S Glendora Ave
Closed: 04/28/2025
Reopened: 05/10/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1 Inspection Score Less Than 70 – Lacc 8.04.225
Tadoe's Market
City: Los Angeles
Address: 6600 S Normandie Ave
Closed: 04/28/2025
Reopened: 04/30/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Del Taco #162
City: Los Angeles
Address: 3020 Los Feliz Blvd
Closed: 04/25/2025
Reopened: 04/27/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Wokcano Crescent
City: Los Angeles
Address: 8000 Sunset Blvd A 110
Closed: 04/25/2025
Reopened: 04/30/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Mexicali Bakery
City: Los Angeles
Address: 2791 Pico Blvd Closed: 04/24/2025
Reason: No Public Health Permit – California Health and Safety Code Section 114381
Noodle Art
City: Monterey Park Address: 117 N Lincoln Ave
Closed: 04/24/2025 Reopened: 05/16/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Target T1305
City: Cerritos
Address: 11525 E South St
Closed: 04/24/2025
Reopened: 04/26/2025 Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Gema Meat Market
City: Los Angeles
Address: 2791 W Pico Blvd
Closed: 04/24/2025
Reopened: 04/30/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1 Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
Donut Factory
City: Los Angeles
Address: 2225 N San Fernando Rd
Closed: 04/24/2025
Reopened: 04/26/2025 Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Flava By Sinclair Caribbean Market
City: Los Angeles
Address: 12730 S Figueroa St 101
Closed: 04/24/2025
Reopened: 04/24/2025
Reason: Operating without a valid Public Health Permit – California Health and Safety Code Section 114067 (b,c), 114381 (a)
Teaspoon
City: Los Angeles
Address: 1947 Sawtelle Blvd
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reopened: 04/24/2025
Reason: No Working Toilet Facilities – California Health and Safety Code Section 114250
King's Thai Food
City: Los Angeles
Address: 1253 N Vine St Ste 7
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reason: – No Public Health Permit – California Health and Safety Code Section 114381
Egg N Bird
City: Maywood
Address: 4469 Slauson Ave
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reopened: 04/25/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Pepperlunch
City: Alhambra
Address: 6 W Main St
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reopened: 05/03/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Papa Johns
City: Los Angeles
Address: 701 W Cesar E Chavez Ave
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reopened: 04/24/2025
Reason: Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
Subway
City: Los Angeles
Address: 701 W Cesar E Chavez Ave
Closed: 04/23/2025 Reopened: 04/25/2025
Reason: Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
China Coast
City: Redondo Beach
Address: 1501 S Pacific Coast Hwy
Closed: 04/23/2025 Reopened: 04/26/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Lowe's #791
City: Palmdale
Address: 39500 Lowe's Dr
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reopened: 04/25/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Fresh Roast
City: San Gabriel
Address: 310 S San Gabriel Blvd
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reopened: 05/05/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Zamora Bros
City: Los Angeles
Address: 4771 Cesar Chavez Ave
Closed: 04/23/2025
Reopened: 04/28/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Downey Donuts
City: Downey
Address: 8011 Florence Ave
Closed: 04/22/2025
Reopened: 04/27/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
El Indio Mexicano Restaurant
City: Northridge
Address: 17019 Roscoe Blvd
Closed: 04/22/2025
Reopened: 04/26/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 3354
City: Pacoima
Address: 13746 Van Nuys Blvd
Closed: 04/22/2025
Reopened: 05/05/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Jack In The Box #3500
City: Inglewood
Address: 11306 S Crenshaw Blvd
Closed: 04/22/2025
Reopened: 04/23/2025
Reason: Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
The Salvation Army – Adult Rehab
City: Canoga Park
Address: 21375 Roscoe Blvd
Closed: 04/22/2025
Reopened: 05/07/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
La Juice & Tea
City: Los Angeles
Address: 833 N Broadway
Closed: 04/22/2025
Reopened: 04/25/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
JJ Cafe Inc Boba Gogo
City: Rowland Heights
Address: 18414 E Colima Rd #M&N
Closed: 04/21/2025
Reopened: 05/02/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
King Guilin Noodle
City: Monterey Park
Address: 206 S Garfield Ave
Closed: 04/21/2025
Reopened: 04/23/2025
Reason: Disease Transmission California Health and Safety Code Section 113949.1 Unsafe Food Temperatures – California Health and Safety Code Section 113996 Gross Contamination Of Food Contact Surfaces – California Health And Safety Code Section 114115 Inspection Score Less Than 70 – Lacc 8.04.225
Dp Deli
City: Rowland Heights
Address: 18414 E Colima Rd # Z
Closed: 04/21/2025
Reopened: 04/24/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Calimex Deli
City: Los Angeles
Address: 711 1/2 S Kern Ave
Closed: 04/21/2025
Reopened: 04/23/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Jolly Jug
City: El Monte
Address: 4264 Peck Rd
Closed: 04/18/2025
Reopened: 04/20/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Oak Crest Acedemy
City: Pomona
Address: 2350 S Garey Ave
Closed: 04/18/2025
Reopened: 04/21/2025
Reason: 1) Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1 (See Violation #23 For Details) 2) No Method To Clean And Sanitize Available California Health And Safety Code Section 114095 (See Violation #14 For Details)
Diredawa Ethiopian Restaurant
City: Los Angeles
Address: 5581 W Manchester Ave
Closed: 04/17/2025
Reopened: 04/19/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Donut Plus
City: South El Monte
Address: 9463 Garvey Ave Unit B
Closed: 04/17/2025
Reopened: 04/21/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
M Pizza
City: Los Angeles
Address: 3900 Wilshire Blvd
Closed: 04/17/2025
Reopened: 04/19/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
La Maison De Creme
City: Beverly Hills
Address: 265 S Robertson Blvd # 2
Closed: 04/16/2025
Reopened: 05/05/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
La Louisianne
City: Los Angeles
Address: 5812 Overhill Dr
Closed: 04/16/2025
Reopened: 04/18/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
M&T Donuts And Coffee Shop
City: Compton
Address: 2013 W Compton Blvd
Closed: 04/16/2025
Reopened: 04/18/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Le Balcon Bakery
City: Los Angeles
Address: 7300 W Sunset Blvd Ste H
Closed: 04/15/2025
Reopened: 04/21/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
7-Eleven #34754a
City: Los Angeles
Address: 4299 S Crenshaw Blvd
Closed: 04/15/2025
Reopened: 04/16/2025
Reason: Sewage Discharge – California Health and Safety Code Section 114190
La Charla Juice Bar
City: Compton
Address: 1210 N Long Beach Blvd # 192
Closed: 04/14/2025
Reopened: 04/18/2025
Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
Love Coffee Bar
City: Santa Monica
Address: 1732 Ocean Park Blvd
Closed: 04/14/2025
Reopened: 04/17/2025 Reason: Vermin Infestation – California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1
For inquiries about the health inspection report, reach out to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department by phone at (888) 700-9995.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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The team converts the numbers into units of copies per gram solids of the wastewater and then shares the data to their online dashboard. The CDC gathers PCR testing data for COVID-19, influenza A, RSV, and mpox from 879 sites participating in its National Wastewater Surveillance System. Some states and municipalities have their own systems, too. To see which infections are rising and falling in your area, you can check the WastewaterSCAN or CDC maps, or in some communities, your local public health department's website. You'll see peaks and valleys, but these maps can't tell you how many people are infected in each place. We don't yet know how much virus in wastewater equals one infection. Such a calculation would require more data on how many viral particles the average person sheds from body fluids when they're sick — data that is surprisingly scarce. Boehm hopes future research can address these questions. 'Having information on human shedding of these viruses will actually allow us to gain more insight into maybe how many people are sick or shedding the virus,' said Boehm. 'Right now, we can only say the trend is increasing, there are more people getting sick, or levels are very high now compared to before, so there are more people sick now than before, but we can't say it seems like maybe one out of 100 people have the flu.' Still, the trends reveal a lot. A Treasure Trove of Data Here's how some healthcare providers and patients are using wastewater intel to promote public health: Aiding clinical decision-making and situational awareness. Doctors have told Boehm they find wastewater data useful for clinical decision-making. 'I've also heard people say that they call it situational awareness, as a healthcare provider or public health professional, having a sense of what is happening in the community right now, so that when people present with different symptoms, there is this background knowledge of what is circulating and what might be going on,' said Boehm. For example, say a patient presents with flu-like symptoms. If influenza levels are high, a healthcare provider might consider flu testing and prophylaxis. If flu levels are low and human metapneumovirus levels are high, they might suspect the latter virus instead. 'Although each patient individually is different, this will never replace the care that an individual patient needs, especially someone who's severely ill, but it can help with situational awareness,' said Boehm. Considering wastewater data when staffing and supplying healthcare facilities. Some hospitals adjust their schedules and supply orders when disease levels start ticking upward, said Helena M. Solo-Gabriele, PhD, a professor of engineering at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her team shared wastewater data with a local health system to help them model staffing and supply needs. Reducing the need for routine testing during outbreaks. Solo-Gabriele's team at the University of Miami found that wastewater monitoring could help reduce the frequency of clinical testing needed to monitor the spread of COVID-19 on college campuses. 'The good thing about it is that it's one sample or a series of samples that can represent thousands of people,' said Solo-Gabriele. Wastewater sampling could be particularly valuable in detecting rising levels of infections that are often asymptomatic or stigmatized. 'Some diseases, such as monkeypox, for example, have a stigma associated with them,' said Solo-Gabrielle. 'People may intentionally not go to the doctor or may intentionally not report it for concerns of being stigmatized, and so the wastewater gets around all of those issues that rely on people being diagnosed.' Keeping schools healthy. Stadler and Houston Wastewater Epidemiology collaborate with about four dozen schools in the Houston area to monitor schools' wastewater for flu, COVID-19, RSV, and vaccine-preventable diseases like measles. 'If we have a detection of, for example, RSV or flu in the wastewater, if you're a parent who subscribes to the text alert system, you get a push notification being like, there's a there's RSV in your school — here's what you can do about it,' she said. If flu is detected multiple weeks in a row, the health department offers free, optional vaccines at the school. Parent feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Reprioritizing healthy habits. Once people know infections are increasing in their school, neighborhood or community, they might mask up or wash or sanitize their hands more often, said Solo-Gabriele. 'If we have rapid, accurate ways to know when an outbreak is going on, it can inform people for all sorts of things, from holding events for people who are immunocompromised to just thinking about being careful in your classroom if you're a teacher,' said Peccia. Monitor new (or newly resurrected) viral outbreaks. In Houston, Stadler's team has been monitoring the city's wastewater to mitigate and prepare for a potential outbreak of measles. Boehm's team is working on technology to monitor bird flu. Pinpoint hotspots before infections spread. When researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) sampled wastewater from airports and other spots frequented by tourists, they found viruses early — before they showed up at the main wastewater treatment plant. 'As we increased that resolution and got closer to some of these locations, we realized that the near real-time intelligence that we could get could mirror what we were seeing at the clinical case level, and if not predict much earlier, what we were going to see at the clinical case level, and especially at the zip code level,' said Edwin Oh, PhD, a professor in the UNLV School of Medicine and College of Sciences. Tourists are good at spreading germs — so are college students. Oh's team has detected chlamydia and gonorrhea in wastewater around the UNLV campus to help the student health center prioritize where on campus to offer free testing or provide information about these diseases. 'These are such treatable conditions, and perhaps because such testing is a cost, or is a cost associated with a parent's insurance, that such diseases, such infections, will be overlooked,' he said. Wastewater can provide intelligence and encourage service in areas that need it most, he said. The goal isn't to police behavior — it's to share information and provide choices. Wastewater data isn't traceable to individuals. The Future of Wastewater Monitoring Researchers are working on ways to extract even more useful information from wastewater. Someday, the benefits could extend to:
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
The Water Tower and iTrust Labs Announce Second International Conference on the Design of Cyber-Secure Water Plants
Conference to be held Oct. 28–30, 2025 in Buford, Georgia. The call for presentation abstracts is now open, and sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities remain available. For details, visit BUFORD, Ga., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As water and wastewater treatment plants grow increasingly digitized, they face a rising threat of sophisticated and targeted cyberattacks that can cause service disruptions, infrastructure damage and compromised water quality. To address this risk, The Water Tower—a first-of-its-kind global water innovation hub—and iTrust Labs, a center for cyber security research at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, will co-host the Second International Conference on the Design of Cyber-Secure Water Plants (DCS-Water '25) Oct. 28–30, 2025, in Buford, Georgia. DCS-Water '25 will bring together a wide range of experts to co-create solutions for the water sector's unique cybersecurity challenges. Jointly organized by these like-minded international partners and building on the success of the inaugural event in 2024, the conference will accelerate the development and deployment of advanced strategies—from AI-driven threat detection and digital twins to zero-trust architectures and cyber-physical testbeds—designed to secure water utilities at scale. "Protecting our water supplies from cyber threats is an existing challenge that is only going to worsen," said Melissa Meeker, CEO of The Water Tower. "Our hope is that through this event and other training opportunities, we can help get critical information and training to small rural utilities and larger utilities, allowing them to stay ahead of this threat." Water facilities—essential to public health, economic activity and environmental stability—rely on complex industrial control systems (ICS), including programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensors, networked control platforms and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) environments. While these technologies enable efficient, automated operations, they also introduce critical vulnerabilities that adversaries can exploit. With IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) systems converging and interconnectivity growing, traditional perimeter defenses are no longer sufficient. By fostering collaboration across disciplines and sectors, DCS-Water plays a crucial role in building resilient, trustworthy, and intelligent water systems for the future. Jianying Zhou, a professor and center director of iTrust, emphasized the benefits of cross-sector collaboration noting, "This is indeed a unique event that connects professionals from industry, researchers from academia, and representatives from government agencies to tackle the increasing cyber threats to the water sector by sharing opinions, providing technical approaches, and offering hands-on training." DCS-Water '25 will feature presentations from U.S. and Singapore government officials, international universities, consultants, engineers and frontline utility professionals. On Oct. 30, attendees can join a hands-on Cyber Defense Training Session—a red-blue team exercise in hacking and defending a water or wastewater plant. Aditya Mathur, a professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, added, "We are excited to co-organize this event, which builds off our experiences conducting international cyber training exercises. The specific focus on water facilities is essential as we empower utilities to meet cyber threats head-on." The call for presentation abstracts is now open, and sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities remain available. For details, visit About The Water Tower The Water Tower Global Innovation Hub, located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, U.S., is building a thriving ecosystem of innovation driven by water challenges, informed by research, and powered by people. The Water Tower brings together industry leaders, utilities, private companies, NGOs, and academic institutions to accelerate the development and implementation of innovative water solutions. By fostering collaboration, advancing digital transformation, and bridging the gap between research and real-world application, The Water Tower is shaping a more sustainable and resilient water future. Learn more at About iTrust Centre for Research in Cyber Security iTrust was jointly established by the Singapore University of Technology and Design and the Singapore Ministry of Defence in 2012. One of iTrust's core focus is to apply and improve its understanding of cyber threats to cyber-physical systems (CPS) and develop translatable technologies to mitigate such threats. iTrust's approach is based on well-understood technical foundations in the interdisciplinary fields of control theory, artificial intelligence, axiomatic design and software engineering. The proposed models and techniques are being evaluated against,and demonstrated in our industrial-grade CPS testbeds: Secure Water Treatment (SWaT), Water Distribution System (WaDi), Electric Power and Intelligent Control (EPIC), and Maritime Testbed of Shipboard Operational Technology (MariOT). Learn more at Media Contact Kristan VandenHeuvel, The Water Tower, (470) 822-0503, Kristan@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Water Tower
