NANTUCKET, Mass. — Data from a wastewater surveillance initiative that tracks the presence of high-risk substances in Nantucket’s sewage revealed cocaine levels that, at times, have checked in at 50 percent higher than the national average.
Wastewater testing results from June 2025 to August 2025 were recently published on Nantucket’s official website.
“Nantucket, like communities across the country, is not immune to the growing public health crisis of substance misuse and overdose,” officials wrote. “With a seasonal population that can quadruple in the summer, the Town faces the unique challenge of managing behavioral health risks with a consistent but limited set of resources. In response, the Town has launched a wastewater surveillance program to monitor high-risk substances and opioids in the community.”
This wastewater initiative, which builds on infrastructure developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, tests for cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, fentanyl, codeine, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and tramadol.
Cocaine levels in the sewage during the testing period were above both the national and regional average, topping more than 1,500 nanograms of substance per liter at points, the data showed.
Methamphetamine and fentanyl levels were below average, graphs shared by the town showed. Nicotine usage appeared to hover close to the national and regional averages.
Officials say that having an understanding of what drugs are being used on the island helps the efforts of local health professionals, first responders, and recovery services.
“Wastewater testing provides a valuable and cost-effective way to monitor drug use trends. Unlike surveys or medical records, it offers near real-time insight with fewer biases and can detect substances anonymously across large populations,” officials said. “By collecting a single composite sample from the island’s wastewater treatment facility, which services about 70% of residents, the program captures data that reflects island-wide trends without identifying individuals or neighborhoods, thereby preserving community privacy while maximizing insight.”
Moving forward, Nantucket says it’s committed to full transparency by sharing results through a public dashboard and providing regular updates.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
