Alexandra’s air quality monitoring site is being relocated to enable the Otago Regional Council to better study spatial variations in the town.

Air quality scientist Sarah Harrison and environmental monitoring network lead Nick Boyens spoke to the Vincent Community Board yesterday during the public forum about their application for a license to occupy a recreational reserve.

The regional council has identified Table Park in Ashworth Street as the appropriate location, and said it was important air pollution was monitored where it was the worst.

Sarah recommended to the regional council last year that it needed to relocate the monitoring station again, closer to the ‘hot spot’ area of the town - which included between Ashworth Street and Simmonds Street.

She said air quality monitoring for regulatory purposes should be conducted at the most polluted location within an airshed.

Spatial variation of air quality shows a ‘hot spot’ in Alexandra where the new monitoring site needs to be. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

A study carried out in 2023 found the existing site beside the Alexandra Primary School had 23 per cent lower concentrations, giving inconsistent data.

While the current site was representative of median or average concentrations across the town, both the current, and the previous site 720m away in Ventry Street both under-represented the maximum concentrations in the town.

The new monitoring site would feature a cabinet with two inlets and an additional 6m-high mast.

Under the Resource Management Act (RMA), regional councils are required to monitor air quality, and to improve it where necessary. The main pollutant of concern is particulate matter (PM) which is a product of combustion.

Long term exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 contribute to the risks of developing and exacerbating existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.

Last winter the regional council found there were 37 breaches of national air quality standards in Otago - 11 in 

Alexandra, 25 in Arrowtown and one in Mosgiel.

The application for the new site was for 10 years.

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