City Launches Interactive Website Tool Showing Real-Time Air Quality Data Across New Bedford

NEW BEDFORD – Residents are just a few clicks away from exploring the air quality in their part of the City.

New Bedford’s Office of Resilience and Environmental Stewardship recently launched an online dashboard featuring air quality data pulled in real-time from a network of sensors placed across the City. The project is meant to inform residents and guide decision-makers on public policy and equitable health outcomes.

“The City of New Bedford is committed to improving the quality of life for its residents, starting with the very air they breathe,” Mayor Jon Mitchell said. “The information generated by this network of sensors will illuminate the steps we need to take.”

“We are excited to share this powerful, informational tool to help residents better understand trends and changes in air quality throughout New Bedford,” said Michele Paul, the City’s director of Resilience and Environmental Stewardship. “We are proud to partner with Groundwork Southcoast and its Green Team to add capacity for network management, data evaluation, and public engagement, making this a truly community-led endeavor.”

Last spring, team members from the City and Groundwork Southcoast installed the network of 20 solar-powered, IoT-enabled sensors throughout the City. Locations include the New Bedford Business Park, Fort Taber Community Center, Buttonwood Park, St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford Regional Airport, Pier 3, and others in neighborhoods in all areas of the City. Groundwork also partnered with the City on developing the online dashboard, and has collaborated on outreach by connecting with residents around sensor locations.

“At Groundwork Southcoast, we are excited to be involved in this air quality monitoring project with the City of New Bedford Office of Environmental Stewardship,” said Maura Valdez, executive director of Groundwork Southcoast. “Our full-time staff and Green Team youth employees are grateful for the opportunity to have helped install monitors and collect data. Moving forward, our Green Team youth will be engaging with the community around this important environmental and community health data. The launch of the public air quality data dashboard is an exciting opportunity for residents to engage with this work.”

The sensors are manufactured by Massachusetts-based technology provider QuantAQ. The project is one of 132 nationwide to be funded through grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2022 American Rescue Plan. New Bedford’s grant award was $391,822.