Air Quality

Air quality has become both a health and economic issue for the San Antonio region. Therefore, air quality has become a top City priority.

Everyone in the San Antonio area can help keep our air clean by focusing on their actions that affect the environment. Some very simple things can be done on a daily basis to help prevent pollution. Below are some links that access air monitoring data and information related to the issue of ozone pollution. In addition, the City's plan for pollution prevention is provided for your information.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to designate the San Antonio area as out of compliance with the ozone standard in April 2004. In response, the City entered into an "Early Action Compact" Clean Air Plan with the EPA, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the counties of Bexar, Comal, Wilson, Guadalupe and the cities of New Braunfels, Seguin, and Floresville. This Compact contains mandatory emission controls and modeling efforts designed to bring our area back into compliance without the onerous burdens typically placed on an area by the EPA. The City of San Antonio also has its own Air Quality Health Alert Plan that is designed to serve as a guiding document for internal City operations on Air Quality Health Alert Days.

Prevention Tips to Air Pollution

The yellow Air Quality Health Alert banners are displayed during Air Quality Alert days when high ozone levels are forecasted.

The following tips should be observed on Air Quality Health Alert Days. By making clean air choices, we can help protect the air we breathe.

• Drive less. Combine trips, bus, carpool, bike or walk
• Fill your gas tank after 6:00 p.m.
• Avoid traffic congestion. Drive during off peak times or choose a less congested route.
• Report smoking vehicles. Call 1-800-453-SMOG.
• Don't idle your car engine.
• Don't mow your lawn, or at least mow during evening hours.
• Avoid using gas powered mowers.
• Don't use gas powered leaf blowers or string trimmers
• Close blinds during the day.
• Postpone painting projects to another day.
• Avoid or delay applying pesticides and herbicides.