Trends in methamphetamine residues in wastewater in metropolitan and regional cities in south-east Queensland, 2009-2015

Over the past several years, the Australian media have reported increased use and harm arising from the use of crystal methamphetamine (“ice”),1,2 a highly pure form of the drug that can be smoked or injected.2 We used wastewater analysis to examine trends in methamphetamine residues in wastewater samples from the inlets of two treatment plants in south-east Queensland. One plant served a coastal metropolitan city that included entertainment precincts and the other a major inland regional city..