Do levels of cocaine in wastewater in Australia vary by geographic location?

The amount of cocaine found in Australian wastewater varies substantially between Australian jurisdictions.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission reported that New South Wales had the highest level of capital city cocaine consumption. High consumption was also reported in one site in Tasmania. Per capita capital city consumption was around twice that of regional areas; with the exception of some sites in New South Wales, cocaine consumption was generally low in regional areas.  

Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (2022). National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program: Report 16. Canberra: ACIC.

This FAQ uses data from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. Further information on the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program is available here.