In response to inadequate ozone monitoring in Harris County by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Harris County Pollution Control Services Department placed a network of ozone monitors in population centers throughout Harris County. These monitors substantially improve the coverage of the existing ozone monitoring network maintained by the TCEQ. Residents can also view their current local ozone levels on the TCEQ website and receive e-mail alerts from the Harris County Office of Emergency Management at www.hcoem.org. The public can use this information to make informed decisions and protect themselves during ozone exceedances. This information can also serve as a reminder to reduce activities that contribute to ozone formation.

The goal of this program is to increase the amount of reliable air quality data that is available to the public in Harris County.

Harris County was able to increase the total number of ozone monitors in the region by 25%. The Harris County Pollution Control Ozone Monitoring has achieved the goal of substantially increasing the amount of air quality data available to the public. The public is now able to view the current hourly ozone average at over forty monitoring locations in the greater Houston area, on the TCEQ Web page.