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Awatoto AQ

Monitoring at Awatoto began in 2012. Air quality is reduced by industrial or rural activities as well as from natural sources (salt spray). 

The Awatoto PM2.5 measurements have been temporarily disrupted because the monitor is undergoing repairs. As a result, values from the 6th May do not reflect air quality conditions for PM2.5.  Air Quality data is being collected with a back up monitoring instrument in the meantime.  Once the permanent air quality monitor is back up and running, these data will again be available to view on LAWA.

The Awatoto monitor has been at its present location in Waitangi Road since February 2012. It is a small, localised airshed where land use includes industry (manufacturing and processing) and rural activities. In contrast to the urban areas, at Awatoto it is windy weather that increases PM10 concentrations and the airshed receives a high level of PM10 (and to a lesser extent PM2.5) from natural sources such as wind-blown soil/dust and sea spray. Awatoto is limited to no more than one exceedance of the NES in a year.

Note: On four occasions when concentrations exceeded the NES (11/6/2014, 1/10/2014, 29/4/17, 12/6/18), these were considered to result from high sea salt levels in stormy conditions and have been recognised as ‘exceptional events’ by the Minister for the Environment.

Scientific Indicators
Scientific data for this site

This dashboard shows information on the data collected by the regional councils for air quality scientific indicators:

  • PM10
    • Hourly average
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    • Daily average
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    • Monthly average
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    • Annual average
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    • Exceedance
      2023
      Year to date
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      Exceedance
      2023
      Year to date
      No Data
    Show more information Hide information

    What do the dashboard colours mean for PM10?

    The dashboard colours show how PM10 levels sit in relation to guidelines – from dark blue (less than 10%) to red (more than 100% of the guideline).  The guideline (100%) value for the daily average PM10 is 50 µg/m3 and  20 µg/m3  for the annual average.  There are no guidelines for hourly or monthly data (charcoal colour). 

    If a site has less than two days of PM10 exceedances each year, this is compliant with the NES-AQ.  If there are two or more exceedances annually, then the site does not comply with the NES-AQ.

    Colour Percent of guidelines
    Less than 10% of guideline
    10-33% of guideline
    33-66% of guideline
    66-100% of guideline
    Greater than 100% of guideline
    No guideline
    Colour Number of exceedances permitted
    Compliant
    Non-compliant

    PM10 information

    • Hourly
    • Daily
    • Monthly
    • Annual
    • Exceedances
    • Show wind speed
    • Show temperature
    Months:
    -
    Showing:

    Guideline


    Concentration (µg/m3)


    Wind speed (km/h)


    Air temperature (℃)


    Guideline

    What is this graph showing me?

    This graph shows how levels of PM10 change on an hourly, daily, monthly or annual basis for the selected time period. The levels depend on local sources of emissions and what the weather is doing.  Emissions from various sources change, depending on whether it’s a weekday or the weekend or at different times of the year (e.g. emissions from home heating goes up in the cold winter months).  Still conditions often lead to high concentrations, as there is no wind to blow away the pollutants in the air.   The PM10 concentrations are shown against the guidelines for air quality (for daily and annual averages), and where concentrations exceed the guideline (red line) this can be a cause for concern, especially if this occurs on a frequent basis.   

    Exceedance data (when available) shows the number of days per year that the concentrations went above 50 µg/m3.  

    The World Health Organization published new guidelines in September 2021 of 45 µg/m3 for daily averages and 15 µg/m3 for annual averages.

    For information about allowable exceedances and targets, and the limitations of data shown, see the Factsheet on monitoring air quality in New Zealand

  • PM2.5
    • Hourly average
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      hour to {{data.DateTime | date:'h:mm a'}}
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      {{data.Units}}

      {{data.Compliance}}

    • Daily average
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      {{data.Units}}

      {{data.Compliance}}

    • Monthly average
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      {{data.Text}}
      {{data.Units}}

      {{data.Compliance}}

    • Annual average
      {{data.DateTime | date:dateFormat}}
      {{data.Text}}
      {{data.Units}}

      {{data.Compliance}}

    • Exceedance
      2023
      Year to date
      {{data.Text}}
      {{data.Units}}

      {{data.Compliance}}

      Exceedance
      2023
      Year to date
      No Data
    Show more information Hide information

    What do the dashboard colours mean for PM2.5?

    The dashboard colours show how PM2.5 levels sit in relation to the guideline – from dark blue (less than 10%) to red (over the guideline).  The guideline (100%) value for  the daily average PM2.5 is 25 µg/mand 10 µg/m3 for the annual average.  There are no guidelines for hourly or monthly data (charcoal colour).

    If a site has less than four days of PM2.5 exceedances each year, this is compliant with World Health Organization 2005 guidelines.  If there are four or more exceedances annually, then the site does not comply with these guidelines.

    Colour Percent of guidelines
    Less than 10% of guideline
    10-33% of guideline
    33-66% of guideline
    66-100% of guideline
    Greater than 100% of guideline
    No guideline
    Colour Number of exceedances permitted
    Compliant
    Non-compliant

    PM2.5 information

    • Hourly
    • Daily
    • Monthly
    • Annual
    • Exceedances
    • Show wind speed
    • Show temperature
    Months:
    -
    Showing:

    Guideline


    Concentration (µg/m3)


    Wind speed (km/h)


    Air temperature (℃)


    Guideline

    What is this graph showing me?

    This graph shows how levels of PM2.5 change on an hourly, daily, monthly or annual basis for the selected time period.  Emissions from various sources change, depending on whether it’s a weekday or the weekend or at different times of the year (e.g. emissions from home heating goes up in the cold winter months).  Still conditions often lead to high concentrations, as there is no wind to blow away the pollutants in the air.   The PM2.5 concentrations are shown against the guidelines for air quality (for daily and annual averages), and where concentrations exceed 100% of the guideline (red line) this can be a cause for concern, especially if this occurs on a frequent basis.  

    Exceedance data (when available) shows the number of days per year that the concentrations went above 25 µg/m3.  

    The World Health Organization published new guidelines in September 2021 of 15 µg/m3 for daily averages and 5 µg/m3 for annual averages.

    For information about allowable exceedances and targets, and the limitations of data shown, see the Factsheet on monitoring air quality in New Zealand