Project Description

Project Aim

The overall aim of the project is described as follows:
Air quality management initiatives within the Vaal airshed are efficiently and effectively identified, prioritised, developed, informed and monitored through, in part, the availability of an effective air quality monitoring network in the area.

Overall Project Objective

The overall project objective is framed as follows:

The supply, installation and management of six air quality monitoring facilities within the Vaal Airshed, that will ensure the ongoing delivery of high quality data as regards air quality within the region. This data will be used to develop, guide and monitor the impact of air quality management initiatives within the airshed.

Project Outputs

In order to meet the project objective the supplier must ensure the delivery of the following outputs:

1 Output A: Identify and Securing the Use of Suitable Locations for the Six Air Quality Monitoring Facilities

The supplier will work with the key regulatory authorities working on air quality management issues in the Vaal Airshed to identify suitable locations for the six facilities. This will be done using an established methodology or methodologies to ensure that any data generated from these locations characterizes the air quality situation within the airshed accurately. On identifying the location the supplier will also ensure that agreements are developed with the site owners for using these locations for at least 10 (ten) years. The supplier will also ensure that there are agreements with the site owner and Telkom for the installation of lines that ensure reliable connectivity for the air facilities. The supplier should also indicate at this point whether further air quality parameters, other than those detailed in Output B below, should be monitored by the six facilities.

2 Output B: Supply and Installation of Air Quality Monitoring Equipment for the Six Sites.

The supplier will supply and install six sites of air quality monitoring equipment. The equipment should be able to monitor the following key parameters:

• SO2
• NO, NO2, NOx
• CO
• O3
• PM10
• PM2.5
• Benzene
• Lead

The installations should also include gas-sampling systems as appropriate for the parameters being monitored, meteorological equipment and data management systems that will allow the effective and reliable transfer of data. The data management systems should also include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Back-up systems that ensure that even if problems are experienced no raw data will be lost (this also includes the possible loss of data while being manipulated during reporting); and,
• Quality assurance and control procedures that will assist in ensuring the integrity of data, especially as it will be used for public reporting and possibly in compliance and enforcement related activity; and,

Manuals documenting the operating procedures (including QA and QC procedures) for all aspects of the monitoring facilities operation should also be developed.

3 Output C: Design and Implementation of a Reporting System

The supplier will develop a reporting system that will take the data generated by the six air quality monitoring facilities and present it in reports (on a monthly basis) for distribution among key regulatory stakeholders. The supplier will also develop a web- based system that will allow the public to access data, which would be updated daily. This web-based system would be hosted by DEAT and is intended to stimulate public awareness of air quality issues in the Vaal Airshed.

4 Output D: Ongoing Operation and Management of Air Quality Monitoring Facilities, Data Management and Reporting Systems

For a period of three years after the installation of the facilities the supplier will manage the air quality monitoring facilities, data management systems and reporting systems. This will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Calibration;
• Repairs and maintenance; and,
• Web-site updating;

Success Indicators for the delivery of this output are as follows:

5 Output E: Capacity Building for Management Handover

It is envisaged that by the end of the second year of the supplier’s contract a regulatory body, other than DEAT, will have been identified to take over the funding and management of the air quality monitoring facilities and their associated systems. The supplier will therefore implement a capacity building programme to prepare this authority for taking over the ongoing management of these facilities. It is envisaged that this capacity building will begin at the start of the third year of the contract, and during the second half of the third year the regulatory body will be undertaking these functions with the supplier in a monitoring and support “as needed” role only.