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Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring and Public Information System

Solution Overview

The NSW Government provides real-time air quality information through a comprehensive online platform that enables residents to access current pollution levels, forecasts, and health alerts.[8] This system processes data from Australia's largest air quality monitoring network to deliver hourly updated classifications and daily forecasts for the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Region.[1][2] The platform serves as a critical public health tool, offering subscription-based alerts when air quality reaches concerning levels.[1]

Technical Components

The NSW Air Quality Monitoring Network operates as Australia's largest system with more than 90 long-term stations, well exceeding the number recommended by the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure.[7] The Department currently operates 21 air quality monitoring stations in Sydney, one of which is a temporary research station.[5] The Alexandria station, which is the 95th station in NSW's air quality monitoring network, records and streams hourly data for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, PM10 and PM2.5 airborne particles, sulfur dioxide and visibility, while collecting meteorological data on humidity, temperature, wind speed and direction.[6] The Ultimo station, situated at the University of Technology Sydney, tracks particle pollution (PM2.5 and PM10) as well as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone, primarily measuring pollution from vehicles travelling through Broadway.[1] As part of the Blue Mountains and Lithgow Air Watch Project led by NSW Environment Protection Authority, 12 low-cost air quality (KOALA) sensors were deployed at locations selected by community representatives.[3] The pollution data is processed to produce an overall air quality rating, ranging from 'Extremely Poor' to 'Good'.[1] The NSW Air Quality Index provides a simple and easy-to-understand measure of air quality as part of DPIE's data reporting channels.[4]

Implementation Details

The NSW Government began monitoring air quality in Sydney in the 1950s and has routinely monitored air pollution in the city since 1951.[5][1] The Alexandria rooftop station, a joint partnership between City of Sydney and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, was located to provide detailed air quality information for the growing population of residents, workers and visitors to the Alexandria/Green Square area.[6] This station complements readings from the CBD monitoring station at Cook and Phillip Park.[6] The NSW Government installed an air quality monitoring station at Cook & Phillip Park in the City of Sydney area, with plans to expand to other sites.[8] The Ultimo station is the third in the City of Sydney.[1] The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is collaborating with leading research partners and environment agencies in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland to develop and deploy air pollution sensor networks for real-time air pollution mapping.[3] This research will support the future integration of data from sensor networks with high-quality data from the NSW Air Quality Monitoring Network, projections from regional airshed modelling and remote sensing information.[3]

Benefits and Impacts

Using data from monitoring stations, the system provides hourly updated air quality categories.[5] Air quality readings and Air Quality Categories are updated hourly and a daily air quality forecast is made for the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Region at 4 pm every day.[2] When air quality is 'Poor', an alert and health advice is issued to all those who have subscribed to the NSW Government's free air quality update service.[1] The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment provides the public with timely and reliable air quality information through the DPIE website, which provides real-time air quality data, air quality forecasts and health advice.[4] The Alexandria station provides locally specific information during air quality incidents such as bushfires or during heatwaves and supports the NSW air quality alert and forecasting system.[6] Readings from the Alexandria station are used to assess compliance against the national health-based air quality standards.[6] The NSW Government website displays detailed pollutant concentrations for all air quality monitoring stations in NSW.[2] DPIE provides air quality data to a range of government agencies, research institutions and other organisations, with the data used to inform air quality management, policy and research.[4]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

The monitoring system addresses increasing air quality challenges driven by climate-related events. There have been significant increases in the frequency of dangerous fire weather conditions across NSW since 1973.[9] NSW experienced extensive bushfires in spring and summer 2019–20, with around 2500 homes destroyed in the state.[9] Concentrations of ground-level ozone exceeded national air quality standards in Sydney on six or fewer days in 2018 and 2020 but climbed to a record 28 days in 2019.[7] Between 2018 and 2020, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the national air quality standards on up to 58 days a year in Sydney and up to 151 days a year in regional areas of NSW.[7]

Business Analysis

Residents around the state can subscribe to a free Sydney air quality forecast and alerts at airquality.nsw.gov.au.[1] The public can sign up for air quality updates and alerts from the NSW Air Quality Monitoring Network on Current air quality in New South Wales or the department's website.[6] The readings from the Alexandria station can be found on the Government's website Air quality concentration data - updated hourly, and also on the new dedicated website Air Quality NSW.[6] The NSW Government website provides an interactive map to view locations of all air quality monitoring stations across NSW.[2] The Alexandria station represents a partnership model between City of Sydney and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.[6]

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