An Equitable View of Community Substance Use: New Castle County’s Use of Wastewater Monitoring for High Risk Substance Intervention

New Castle County, DE, has innovatively expanded its COVID-19 sewage monitoring to also test for substances like fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. In this hour-long webinar, we welcomed Michael Harris from New Castle County and Brent Waninger from the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. In the session, they delve into how this pioneering wastewater analysis will empower public health officials to strategically allocate resources for combating substance abuse. Attendees will gain insights into why the county adopted this approach, its potential in addressing the overdose crisis, and the pivotal partnerships enhancing data utilization. Drawing inspiration from their successful COVID-19 response using similar data, this session promises to unveil how an unbiased view of substance use through wastewater can lead to targeted and effective interventions in the community.