In 1975, Haifa District Municipal Association for the Environment (HDMAE) started measuring air quality in the Haifa region with a limited monitoring network. In 1991, this network was expanded to 13 stationary monitoring stations and one mobile station, including a modern computerized communication center for data collection, processing and analysis operating on a real time basis

Eight of the monitoring stations are within prefabricated shelters with the appropriate monitoring instrumentation, a calibration system, a data acquisition system (DAS) including a modem for telephone line communication, and auxiliary equipment. The other stations are within rooms in schools or other public buildings, situated next to the roof. Next to each shelter or at the buildings roof, stands a 10 meter high meteorological tower where the meteorological instruments are mounted.

The monitoring stations can be classified into 5 different types: Eight monitoring stations are of the ¿residential¿ type (Neve Shaanan, Ahuza, Einstein, Kiriat Ata, Kiriat Bialik, Kiriat Motzkin, Kiriat Yam, Shprinzak), two ¿background¿ (Rachassim and Tivon), one ¿residential & traffic¿ (Nesher), one ¿commercial & traffic¿(Talpiot Market), and one ¿industrial¿(Kiriat Haim).

The main purpose of this network was to activate an Intermittent Control System (ICS) for SO2 emissions. ICS requires industries to switch to low sulfur fuel when high SO2 ambient concentrations are either monitored by the network or predicted by the Israel Meteorological Service on the basis of atmospheric conditions.

The implementation of ICS improved significantly the air quality in the Haifa Region regarding SO2 levels, as can be seen in the following graph representing the drop in SO2 annual mean levels at the Neve Shaanan station since 1985: