China　has　controlled　the　nationwide　spread　of　COVID-19　since　April　2020,　but　it　is　still　facing　an　enormous　threat　of　disease　resurgence　originating　from　infected　international　travelers.　Taking　the　rapid　transmission　and　the　mutation　of　SARS-CoV-2　into　consideration,　the　current　status　would　be　easily　jeopardized　if　sporadic　locally-transmitted　individuals　are　not　identified　at　an　early　stage.　Clinical　diagnosis　is　the　gold　standard　for　COVID-19　surveillance,　but　it　is　hard　to　screen　presymptomatic　or　asymptomatic　cases　in　those　who　have　not　exhibited　symptoms.　Since　presymptomatic　or　asymptomatic　individuals　are　infectious,　it　is　urgent　to　establish　a　surveillance　system　based　on　other　tools　that　can　profile　the　entire　population.　Infected　people　including　those　who　are　symptomatic,　presymptomatic,　and　asymptomatic　shed　SARS-CoV-2　RNA　in　feces　and　thereby　endow　wastewater-based　epidemiology　(WBE)　with　an　early-warning　ability　for　mass　COVID-19　surveillance.　In　the　context　of　China＇s　＇COVID-zero＇　strategy,　this　work　intends　to　discuss　the　practical　feasibility　of　WBE　applications　as　an　early　warning　and　disease　surveillance　system　in　hopes　that　WBE　together　with　clinical　testing　would　cost-effectively　restrain　sporadic　COVID-19　outbreaks　in　China.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.