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KOAA News 5 – Higher levels of fentanyl found in Pueblo’s wastewater

Published: Apr. 02, 2025 at 7:25 PM

Read the article and watch the video on the KOAA News 5 website.

Porch Light Health spoke with KOAA News 5 about recent increases of fentanyl found in wastewater in Pueblo.

Video Transcription

KOAA News 5
The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment is taking a close look at the amount of fentanyl in the city’s wastewater. When those amounts start to rise, as they are now, health experts go on alert. News5’s Eleanor Sheehan looks into what this means when it comes to fentanyl use and recovery in Pablo.

Eleanor Sheahan
It might seem gross, but testing wastewater is a tool scientists use to check for viruses, bacteria, and drugs, including fentanyl.

Tiffany Alvarez
Fentanyl is just one of the worst ones right I feel that we see a lot of.

Eleanor Sheahan
This data from Pueblo County Health shows how much fentanyl is in the wastewater. In February of this year, the average amount was 5. 52 milligrams per a thousand people per day in Pablo. In March, that average nearly doubled to 10. 82 milligrams. Going back a year, 20. 95 milligrams was the average.

Tiffany Alvarez
You do see a lot of cases with fentanyl in them and everything.

Eleanor Sheahan
Addiction specialists at Porch Light Health reached out to News 5 about these increases, saying they help several patients every day who want to recover from a fentanyl addiction.

Tiffany Alvarez
We’re just hoping that they will choose to come see us rather than use.

Eleanor Sheahan
Tiffany Alvarez is the clinic manager.

Tiffany Alvarez
We are here for MAT. It is medication-assisted treatment and everything. We treat those who have substance use disorders.

Eleanor Sheahan
Tiffany says they serve around 80 people a day between Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

Tiffany Alvarez
We want you to feel like this is a safe place and that your family here and everything. That way you’re willing to get the recovery you need.

Eleanor Sheahan
Porch Light Health is low barrier and high access, which means people can walk into the clinic or make an appointment for addiction and recovery services. We have a link to get connected to these resources on our website, koaa. Com. For News 5, I’m Eleanor Sheehan.


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