Researchers at Singapore-MIT and international collaborators have made advances in viral detection in wastewater with the development of a new quantitative RT-qPCR assay that is able to detect the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. Such tests enable wastewater surveillance to accurately trace variant dynamics in any given community or population, and support and inform the implementation of appropriate public health measures tailored according to the specific traits of a particular viral pathogen. In another paper, SMART researchers and collaborators also reviewed the future of wastewater surveillance, outlining challenges and opportunities and mapping its potential to prepare societies for future viral outbreaks.