Moving omics methods beyond the bench to tackle urgent challenges facing the water industry

Advances in multi-omic sequencing have revolutionized our understanding of the composition and potential function of genetic sequences across human, natural, and engineered systems. However, while advancements in omics methods have transformed the medical industry through patient-centered therapy and diagnostics, the water industry has deployed omics methods only modestly. We argue that leveraging multi-omic methods will enable the water and wastewater industries to achieve unprecedented insight and control in four sectors of water and wastewater systems: (1) untargeted real-time wastewater surveillance, (2) targeted pathogen control, (3) engineering microbial communities for improved treatment, and (4) resource recovery. In this article, we summarize advances in applying omics technologies to water and wastewater treatment technologies, highlight their key limitations, and describe their potential impact in engineered systems. Unlocking meaningful microbial insights in engineered water systems demands more than today’s microbiome profiling efforts—it requires deliberate study design, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a renewed focus on mechanisms, context, and impact to realize omics-enabled benefits. The impact of omics will depend not on the volume of data generated, but on its ability to inform decisions and enable reliable control of microbial processes in real-world systems.