The Erie County Department of Health has launched a new public-facing dashboard that displays information about high-risk substances found in local wastewater. The dashboard will be available starting June 1, 2026.
The data comes from weekly samples taken at the City of Erie wastewater treatment facility, which serves about 200,000 people in Erie County. The samples are analyzed by Biobot Analytics to measure traces of drugs and related substances in the community.
The dashboard tracks opioids, illicit drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, as well as medications used to treat substance use disorders. It shows trends over time dating back to June 2024 and compares local data with regional and national patterns. Wastewater data will be used to inform substance abuse treatment providers, healthcare systems, and emergency services if rapid increases in substances related to overdoses are detected. The dashboard may also help identify unusual spikes that could indicate possible drug dumping incidents.
The information will be updated every week as the data becomes available. Users can filter the data by substance and view a glossary with additional information.
By making this data publicly available, the Erie County Department of Health hopes to provide insight into emerging substance use trends, help identify potential risks, and support outreach, prevention, and harm reduction efforts throughout the community.
Agencies, healthcare providers, community organizations, and members of the public are encouraged to view the dashboard at: HIGH RISK DASHBOARD
