Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Nantucket Wastewater Shows Cocaine Levels 50% Above U.S. Average

Officials expanded COVID-era sewage monitoring to track population-level drug trends without identifying individuals.

Overview

  • Latest samples from the Surfside treatment plant reported just under 1,500 ng/L of cocaine, versus roughly 1,000 ng/L nationally and about 900 ng/L across the Northeast.
  • Fentanyl measured below 5 ng/L compared with a U.S. average near 15 ng/L, with methamphetamine barely registering and xylazine below detection.
  • The Surfside facility covers roughly three-quarters of island homes, providing anonymized data intended to show island-wide trends.
  • Results have varied between collection dates this summer, yet the cocaine signal has remained consistently elevated across multiple tests.
  • Experts outlined possible causes ranging from a one-time stash disposal to ongoing use by residents and visitors, with no definitive explanation established.