A city official in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, said levels of COVID-19 in wastewater have dropped significantly after peaking earlier this month.
Three times per week, Pittsfield gets samples of its wastewater tested for the presence of COVID.
Ricardo Morales is the city's commissioner of public services and utilities.
"The first [sample] that showed a substantial drop was from January 18," he said.
Morales said his department shares the data with the city's health department and area hospitals like Berkshire Medical Center.
Spokesperson Mike Leary said the information is helpful.
"A week or so in advance, we start to see the numbers either rise or drop and it has given us a good leading indicator as to what we can expect at the hospitals," he said.
Leary said inpatients with COVID at Berkshire Medical Center crested at close to 40 a week and a half ago, and have since have dropped to 20 or so.
The latest report from the state department of public health confirms COVID is past its peak in Berkshire County.
