Program Details

Harris County partnered with TCEQ to supplement the state’s network and was able to increase the total number of ozone monitors in the region by 25%. This was accomplished by taking a low cost approach that utilizes existing public buildings for monitor hosting and a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) program that is focused to providing data suitable for public health and academic purposes rather than regulatory compliance.

The Harris County Public Health Ozone Monitoring Network has achieved the goal of substantially increasing the amount of air quality data available to the public. The public is now able to view the current hourly ozone average at over forty monitoring locations in the greater Houston area, on the TCEQ Web page. The additional monitors also contribute to public notification of ozone exceedances through e-mail alerts issued by the Harris County Office of Emergency Management and press releases issued by Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES).

Exposure to high levels of ozone can cause or worsen various respiratory symptoms. These include symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing, headaches, nausea, and throat and lung irritation. The EPA has designated Harris County as being in moderate non attainment of its eight hour national ozone standard. The TCEQ placed a network of ozone monitors in the region to monitor exceedances of the federal standard. This network left substantial gaps in monitoring coverage that included large portions of suburban Harris County.

Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES) placed a network of ozone monitors in population centers throughout Harris County. These monitors substantially improve the coverage of the existing ozone monitoring network maintained by the TCEQ. HCPHES issues press releases to the local media when ozone exceedance events occur. Residents can also view their current local ozone levels on the TCEQ website and receive e-mail alerts from the Harris County Office of Emergency Management at www.hcoem.org. The public can use this information to make informed decisions and protect themselves during ozone exceedances. This information can also serve as a reminder to reduce activities that contribute to ozone formation.

Ozone monitors maintained by the TCEQ meet strict quality control requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for compliance monitoring. The TCEQ monitors are designed to determine if the region meets the EPA’s standard for ground level ozone concentration. These monitors require built in automated calibration capability and the placement of a small building at the monitoring site. Installation and maintenance of these monitors is more expensive and labor intensive than would normally be practical for a local agency. Harris County has found cost saving measures that have allowed it to add twelve monitors to population centers in the periphery of the county.

Harris County has tailored its monitoring program to public health rather than regulatory compliance. This allows the program to use QA/QC protocols that are less expensive and labor intensive, while providing data that is sufficiently accurate for public and academic use. Harris County has also achieved substantial savings by placing its monitors in public buildings owned by the county and partnering municipalities. A partnership with the TCEQ has allowed Harris County to place its data on the state’s publicly accessible network and receive technical support at no cost.

Harris County’s ozone monitoring network is integrated into the State’s larger air monitoring network. The TCEQ, in turn, provides extensive technical assistance. Local municipalities provide host locations that include use of their facilities power, phone, and computer networks.

Data produced by the program is used by the TCEQ for air modeling and serves as a public service to the hosting municipalities. HCPHES is committed to outreach that includes the municipal stake holder’s communities through continual contact with school districts and civic groups.

The bulk of this cost comes from Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) funds. These funds are established by environmental regulation violators in lieu of paying fines to the state. The SEP funding Harris County’s ozone monitoring network is a limited resource and does not include staffing.

Exposure to high levels of ozone can cause or worsen various respiratory symptoms. These include symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing, headaches, nausea, and throat and lung irritation. The EPA has designated Harris County as being in moderate non attainment of its eight hour national ozone standard. The TCEQ placed a network of ozone monitors in the region to monitor exceedances of the federal standard. This network left substantial gaps in monitoring coverage that included large portions of suburban Harris County.

Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES) placed a network of ozone monitors in population centers throughout Harris County. These monitors substantially improve the coverage of the existing ozone monitoring network maintained by the TCEQ. HCPHES issues press releases to the local media when ozone exceedance events occur. Residents can also view their current local ozone levels on the TCEQ website and receive e-mail alerts from the Harris County Office of Emergency Management at www.hcoem.org. The public can use this information to make informed decisions and protect themselves during ozone exceedances. This information can also serve as a reminder to reduce activities that contribute to ozone formation.

Ozone monitors maintained by the TCEQ meet strict quality control requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for compliance monitoring. The TCEQ monitors are designed to determine if the region meets the EPA’s standard for ground level ozone concentration. These monitors require built in automated calibration capability and the placement of a small building at the monitoring site. Installation and maintenance of these monitors is more expensive and labor intensive than would normally be practical for a local agency. Harris County has found cost saving measures that have allowed it to add twelve monitors to population centers in the periphery of the county.

Harris County has tailored its monitoring program to public health rather than regulatory compliance. This allows the program to use QA/QC protocols that are less expensive and labor intensive, while providing data that is sufficiently accurate for public and academic use. Harris County has also achieved substantial savings by placing its monitors in public buildings owned by the county and partnering municipalities. A partnership with the TCEQ has allowed Harris County to place its data on the state’s publicly accessible network and receive technical support at no cost.