Introduction

Table 6. Estimated heroin consumption per jurisdiction in Year 1 to Year 9 of the Program.

Jurisdiction	Estimated consumption (kilograms per annum)									% Change
	Year 1a	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9	Year 8 to Year 9
ACT	14.7	15.3	10.3	16.9	15.3	17.3	22.6	26.1	22.2		-15
NSW	264.6	222.2	307.0	323.9	356.9	389.6	366.4	444.4	626.7		41
NT	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.4	1.6	1.1	1.0	1.2	1.8		50
Qld	65.5	66.2	66.4	77.7	84.8	100.5	82.0	97.1	134.8		39
SA	47.8	34.8	30.5	41.8	37.5	34.7	28.5	31.2	36.3		16
Tas	3.3	4.5	2.8	4.3	5.4	3.2	3.1	5.1	5.5		8
Vic	402.1	359.4	469.7	464.4	424.4	479.3	456.0	474.2	501.9		6
WA	31.1	46.8	53.8	91.4	58.7	51.4	40.0	58.4	68.1		17

^{a. Annual heroin consumption estimates for Year 1 are informed by data from only one collection period.}

Implementation

The ACIC contracted The University of Queensland, and through it Adelaide University, to deliver the Program. Relationships have been built between the universities and the operators of wastewater facilities across Australia to permit collection and analysis of samples.¹

In this report, Program wastewater analysis measured the presence² of the following substances:

• methylamphetamine
• amphetamine
• cocaine
• 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA)
• 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)
• heroin
• cannabis
• oxycodone
• fentanyl
• nicotine
• alcohol
• ketamine.

The ACIC continues to review the range of monitored substances with its partners, stakeholders and
universities.

Both contracted universities monitor wastewater across Australia, covering all state and territory capital cities and a range of regional cities and towns. In August 2025, 64 wastewater treatment plants participated nationally, covering 57% of the Australian population (Figure 3).³ Sites were selected to permit the ACIC to provide data on major population areas, to represent a cross-section of regional cities and towns and sites where treatment plant operators have established relationships with the universities.

Figure 3: Breakdown of sites by jurisdiction for August 2025.

Participation by all states and territories is vital to informing our understanding of the national picture of drug use and demand. Although the location of sites within and between states and territories may change over the life of the Program, the intention is to ensure site continuity.

Reporting

In accordance with current wastewater analysis conventions, the terms of the contract and to protect the integrity of the Program, the exact locations of wastewater treatment plants sampled are not publicly released by the ACIC. Stakeholders in law enforcement, health and other relevant policy agencies are provided with classified information identifying actual sampling locations to inform appropriate responses.

Reported results reflect per capita use in all locations and, with the exception of MDMA and ketamine (for which reliable dose figures are unavailable), are expressed in terms of both the number of doses and the weight or volume consumed per capita of the respective substances, to facilitate comparison between substances.

International comparisons

The Program is based on a well-established, internationally recognised methodology. Wastewaterbased epidemiology has been standardised by a European network of laboratories focussed on quality sampling and analysis called the Sewage Core Group Europe (SCORE). The SCORE network facilitates an annual inter-laboratory testing program among participating laboratories that
research and measure illicit drugs in wastewater across the globe. As part of this routine laboratory benchmarking, participating laboratories which pass analytical criteria are invited to submit 7 days of wastewater data for their region in roughly the same time period, thus ensuring the quality of the analysis and comparability of reported data. The research teams at The University of Queensland and Adelaide University have taken part in and passed this testing regime for more than 6 years. As the methods are standardised internationally, this allows for the comparison of data between countries. Every batch of samples that is analysed domestically is subjected to 3 levels of quality controls comprising known amounts of authentic reference drug standards. These are analysed in duplicate to ensure accuracy and reproducibility. With substantial coverage (>50 sites), the estimates in Australia
are derived from a large proportion of the population and regular geographically diverse sampling. 

The SCORE network permits comparison between analytical results obtained from countries in Europe, Oceania, North and South America. These results confirm the considerable per capita consumption of illicit stimulants in Australia, even in world terms, and that our illicit stimulant consumption is dominated by methylamphetamine. 

Exploitation of Program data

Program data provide an important basis for the development of empirically-informed government and private sector policy and decision making. The reports provide unambiguous and detailed measures of the level of demand for the listed substances in the Australian population, complementing other drug datasets published in Australia. 

Wastewater data are also particularly useful for identifying differences in levels of drug consumption in capital cities and regional areas of Australia. The data reinforces different dynamics that apply to both capital city and regional markets and illustrate drug consumption variations that exist within and between states and territories. Understanding these preferences is important in the development and delivery of national responses and in tailoring responses to suit the specific needs of individual jurisdictions. Wastewater analysis also permits the ACIC to gain insight into the decision-making of SOC groups that supply illicit drug markets.

Wastewater reporting enables the ACIC and partners to detect and respond to increasing drug threats. The number and diversity of regional sites that participate in the Program permit confident assessments to be made of drug trends outside of the capital cities that can be used to inform local responses. This is important because it allows wastewater data to complement a number of other Australian drug data collections that have limited regional coverage or are confined to capital cities. It also permits the ACIC and partners to speak with greater confidence about local drug threats. 

Triangulated data show that domestic drug markets are complex and vary between jurisdictions, with external influences affecting markets in different ways at different time periods. Other Program data illustrate that consumption of the respective drugs also varies considerably at different sites within jurisdictions. It is important that Australian drug datasets are interpreted holistically.

When considering the whole spectrum of market indicators, the combined picture indicates concerning growth nationally, including in the markets for illicit stimulants. When coupled with seizure and detection data (both onshore and offshore), wastewater data provide an important indicator of the collective capacity and intentions of SOC groups. Also, demand is best understood at a population level and wastewater data lends itself to this. The level of drug consumption is the best and most reliable indicator of total illicit drug market size, noting that there may be short-term unmet demand, especially where drugs are largely (for example, methylamphetamine) or exclusively (cocaine and heroin) imported.

The ACIC engages with academic institutions, industry and public sector agencies to identify further data applications. Identified opportunities included informing responses in high-risk areas; measuring drug use in specific local areas; estimating the size of discrete illicit markets; and exploring options for monitoring the effectiveness of existing demand, supply and harm reduction initiatives. The Program is sufficiently flexible to allow for bespoke collection activity in different geographic locations and at
varying intervals in response to identified needs and objectives. 

Benefits of the Program

Wastewater data are an important part of the national suite of datasets that increase understanding of drug consumption, demand and supply in Australian cities and regional locations. This report builds on national drug consumption data contained in preceding reports to identify trends over more than 9 years of drug use across states, territories and the nation.

The ACIC’s wastewater work extends far beyond the Program. We and our university partners continue to innovate and to generate additional applications for wastewater analysis. Moreover, wastewater analysis now routinely extends to a broader range of drugs than is reported in the Program for research and development purposes, which aids future understanding of emerging drug
market issues and responses. 

Next: Research findings