The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) has commissioned The University of Queensland, and through it the University of South Australia, to undertake the data collection and analysis that underpins the report.

Report 16 of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program (the Program) covers around 56 per cent of the Australian population, which equates to about 13 million people. Fifty-six wastewater treatment plants across Australia participated in the December 2021 collection, which monitored the consumption of 12 substances. In February 2022, when only capital city sites were sampled, there were 20 sites.