Air Monitoring

Act on Air: The Philly Air Monitor Project

Philly Community Wireless has been working since 2023 to deploy PurpleAir monitors on our public network. Since 2023, we have installed over a dozen air monitors in the North Philadelphia neighborhoods of Norris Square, Fairhill, and Kensington at several install sites around our network to provide real-time air monitoring.

Measuring Air Quality

Purple air monitors enable communities to engage in citizen science around pollution in their neighborhoods, helping folks understand:

  1. If the air quality is good or not good in their area
  2. How it compares to other parts of the city
An ariel view of a white circular device with stickers saying Purple Air and Philly Community Wireless attached to a house

Real-time air quality data can be viewed on PurpleAir’s map.

Air Monitor Installations

We are grateful to receive support from the EPA’s Region 3 Sensor Loan Program, as well as from such organizational partners as the Clean Air Council, Temple University’s Geography and Urban Studies Program led by Prof. Christina Rosan, and Haverford College.

PCW-installed air monitors are presently at:

  • Cesar Andreú Iglesias Community Garden
  • GALAEI
  • HACE - Caribe Tower
  • HACE - Somerset Villas
  • Kensington Library
  • Lillian Marrero Library
  • Multiple Residential Homes of PCW’s Community
  • Norris Square Neighborhood Project
  • NSNP - Las Parcelas Garden
  • NSNP - Raíces Garden
  • The Lighthouse 1893
  • West Kensington Ministry