Do levels of alcohol in wastewater in Australia vary by geographic location?
The amount of alcohol found in Australian wastewater varies across jurisdictions†.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission reported that the Northern Territory and Hobart had higher mean alcohol consumption. In general, average use of alcohol was higher in regional areas than in capital cities.
Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (2024). National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program: Report 23. Canberra: ACIC.
† This FAQ uses data from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.
Estimated alcohol consumption for April 2024 in litres consumed per day (left axis) and standard drinks per day (right axis) per thousand people^
^ The number of collection days varied from 5-7 days
Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (2024). National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program: Report 23. Canberra: ACIC.
Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (2024). National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program: Report 23. Canberra: ACIC.
† This FAQ uses data from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.