The Town of Cary, in partnership with public & private health entities as well as researchers and data scientists, is taking a proactive approach to the opioid crisis through the wastewater sampling project. A goal of this project is to get the community talking and generate awareness, the first step towards breaking the stigma associated with opioid addiction. A larger goal of this project is to provide public and private health professionals, lawmakers and citizens across the country with more powerful information and insight to be used in the overall battle against the opioid crisis. The first $100,000 of this project is being funded by a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies through the Mayors Challenge. Cary is a finalist to receive up to $5 million in funding from the Mayors Challenge.

How It Works

The Town is working with Biobot Analytics, a company that provides opioid testing and data analytics services. Town staff will install and operate wastewater sampling devices, or robots, within the sewer system. Ten sampling locations have been selected within Cary’s wastewater collection system by a team of public health officials, scientists and utility managers.

The wastewater sampling devices are discreet and do not affect the operation of the sewer system. The opioid consumption data generated will be an aggregate of wastewater collected over a 24-hour period of 4,000 to 15,000 homes. That is equal to collecting 2.5 gallons out of approximately 200,000 to 800,000 gallons of wastewater. Individual homes or residents cannot be identified when monitoring at that level. 

Opioids and opioid metabolites will be monitored and calculated into a consumption rate of a daily dosage per a population of 1,000. The project will estimate total opioid consumption including: Morphine, Hydromorphone, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Codeine, Dihydrocodeine, Tramadol, Heroin, Fentanyl.