Infectious agents enter wastewater i.e. through feces and can be detected there. The systematic monitoring of wastewater for infectious agents with the aim of making decisions for population-based measures is referred to as wastewater-based surveillance (also known as wastewater surveillance for short). The collected data allow for insights into the trend of infection dynamics. The measured values can be compared and analyzed in conjunction with information from existing reporting systems. Experts can thus comprehensively assess the local situation and derive population-based measures for pandemic management.