The city of Pueblo is launching a warning system to alert residents about high levels of COVID-19 in their neighborhood using wastewater testing, Mayor Nick Gradisar announced in a news release.

Residents will receive voice messages and texts urging them to get tested if levels of COVID-19 are extremely high in their neighborhood. The alert is sent if three consecutive wastewater tests show significant increase or two tests show large increases of the virus in sewage water.

Testing sewage water is a preemptive method to combat COVID-19 since traces of the virus can be detected in fecal matter 5 to 7 days before the onset of symptoms, the release said.

“Even though Pueblo’s cases are coming down, we want to be ready this time for any surges in 2021 because if more Puebloans know they are positive sooner we can mitigate the spread faster,” Gradisar said.

Cases of COVID-19 declined slowly during December with cases dropping from 2,001 in mid November to 418 last week, according to Pueblo County public health data.

“After reacting to the virus since it arrived in Pueblo in March, this warning system is a good preemptive measure to control the spread of the virus before a rapid spike happens,” Gradisar said.