Cocaine Found in the Sewage System of a Massachusetts Town, Report Reveals

Cocaine Levels High in Nantucket’s Wastewater, Fentanyl Low

Recent wastewater testing on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, has revealed that cocaine levels are about 50% higher than the national average, with fewer traces of fentanyl detected. The Surfside Wastewater Treatment Facility, which caters to around three-quarters of the island’s homes, conducted these tests, as reported by Fox News Digital.

Since testing began earlier this summer, cocaine concentrations have been observed at under 1,500 nanograms per liter (ng/L). This notably surpasses the national average of roughly 1,000 ng/L and the northeastern average of about 900 ng/L.

This summer, local health officials announced a wastewater monitoring program that expanded to include various drugs beyond just Covid-19 tracking. Instead of pinpointing specific individuals or neighborhoods, the program collects samples from treatment facilities to monitor substance use patterns across the island.

While cocaine levels are elevated, statistics for other drugs present a different picture. Fentanyl concentrations are typically registered at below 5 ng/L, which is significantly lower than the national average of about 15 ng/L. Additionally, xylazine, a tranquilizer that has begun appearing in street drugs, was detected at levels that did not exceed observable thresholds.

Interestingly, nicotine levels during testing sometimes aligned with the regional average of under 4,000 ng/L, but remained below the national average of approximately 4,500 ng/L. Results have varied since surveillance commenced, yet cocaine levels consistently remain high.

“Many communities have initiated testing to identify spikes in local Covid cases,” remarked Maryland lawyer Randolph Rice, according to Fox News Digital. “Nantucket, however, opted to broaden its focus at the start of summer to also include other substances like drugs and nicotine.”