Wealthy coastal enclave's dirty secret revealed through wastewater testing surveillance

Nantucket may be the perfect summer destination for coastal New England vibes, but new data shows that the famously picturesque island off the coast of Massachusetts is not without some flaws.

Recent wastewater surveillance reporting shows once again, as it has before, that cocaine levels in sewer water have been well above the national average from July 2025 to February 2026. 

In October, levels spiked to 2,948.70 nanograms per liter, while the national average remained under 1,000.