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

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Nantucket may be the perfectsummer destinationfor 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, thatcocaine levelsin 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.

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There was another spike of 2,815.50 nanograms per liter on Nantucket in December while the national average was just over 1,000, the same reporting shows.

“Nantucket, like communities across the country, is not immune to thegrowing public health crisisof substance misuse and overdose,” the town’s website acknowledged.

Nantucket, off the coast of Massachusetts, is showing cocaine levels nearly triple the national average in its wastewater surveillance.(iStock)

“With a seasonal population that can quadruple in the summer, the town faces the unique challenge of managing behavioral health risks with a limited yet consistent set of resources,” it also said.

Cape and Islands,a local publication.

In October 2025, cocaine levels spiked to 2,948.70 nanograms per liter, while the national average remained under 1,000.(iStock)

The same tests found below-average levels offentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioidblamed for overdoses around the country.

There was another spike of 2,815.50 nanograms per liter of cocaine on Nantucket in December while the national average was just over 1,000.(Town and County of Nantucket)

“During COVID, a lot of these communities, and most communities, decided that it was important for them to starttesting the waterto see if there were any spikes in COVID in the region,�