DFFE requests funding for more air quality monitoring stations

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) has requested funding for the South African Weather Service (SAWS) to operate additional air quality monitoring stations on behalf of the government.

If the request for funding is successful, the department will add 60 air quality monitoring stations to record adequate data.

Responding to a parliamentary question by the DA’s Hanna Winkler about the alleged “crisis in the reporting of data” from the stations, DFFE Minister Barbara Creecy said that if it is funded and recapitalised, the air quality monitoring stations will be part of a national intervention that will be operated by the SAWS.

Creecy said her department was left with 130 air quality stations after seven stations were decommissioned.

“In addition to the SAWS intervention, the department has incorporated over 60 privately-owned air quality monitoring stations to report data to the national air quality information system. These stations are owned by industries that are in possession of atmospheric emission licences, and are helping to reduce spatial data gaps in air quality monitoring across the country as well as to complement government-owned stations that are not fully operational.

“Data reported from these stations is governed by the same government-owned station standards to ensure data accuracy and credibility.

The department is also working with National Treasury to establish a transversal contract to streamline the procurement of air quality monitoring equipment and services by spheres of government,”.

According to Winkler’s question, 84 of the 130 government-owned stations are “operational but not reporting data adequately”.

Creecy said if the proposed intervention is given the go-ahead, it will be rolled out over a three-year phase.

“The department has presented a request for the funding of a national intervention by the SAWS to operate air quality monitoring stations on behalf of the government. This intervention is envisaged to support up to 60 air quality monitoring stations in a phased approach over a period of three years.

“This intervention is envisaged to provide personnel capacity to operate the stations and assist with the recapitalisation of infrastructure, efforts that will significantly improve the performance of monitoring stations across the three spheres of government,” said Creecy.

Data logging and power back up systems will be included as part of the recapitalisation of the stations to bring them back online.

Cape Times