The Allegheny County Health Department recently reported a glitch at the Liberty Monitoring Station that has led to a deletion of certain air quality data. From March 20 to May 14, and again on May 17, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels were not properly monitored due to malfunctioning equipment. The data collected for those specific pollutants during the said period has been deemed inaccurate and will not be factored into future enforcement actions, according to an Allegheny County press release.
An error was discovered during routine quality checks. The SO2 monitor, it seems, became compromised when a probe line detached from its housing, impacting the monitor's readings. Despite this, the equipment continued to pass quality assurance checks, according to the notice posted by Allegheny County. No current enforcement actions are impacted by this data removal and "the specific data affected during this time period will not be used in any future enforcement action(s)," as detailed by Allegheny County.
The malfunction is concerning for residents who rely on accurate air quality data for health and environmental reasons. Regular monitoring of H2S and SO2 is important as high levels can have significant health impacts. For those interested in current air quality readings, the Health Department has directed individuals to visit the Hydrogen Sulfide webpage or the Hourly Air Quality Data section for up-to-date information.
Questions about the data removal and monitoring processes can be directed to David Good or the county's online support center. Mr. Good can be reached through his email at [email protected], and the support center can be accessed on the county's official website. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining and regularly checking the integrity of environmental health equipment. As of now, the Liberty Monitoring Station's glitch has been corrected and the monitors are functioning as intended.
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