Dane County to Install Air Purification and Air Filtration Units at Facilities to Help Reduce Spread of COVID-19

September 14, 2021
Ariana Vruwink, 608-267-8823
County Executive

Today, County Executive Joe Parisi announced Dane County will invest more than $570,000 to install ultraviolet air purification and air filtration units on the ventilation systems in county owned buildings. Improving ventilation systems has been identified as a key way to limit the spread of COVID-19 and will increase the safety of indoor environments for employees and visitors to county facilities.

“Dane County is committed to combatting the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. “Installing air purification and air filtration units on our ventilation systems at county owned facilities will help us improve the overall health and safety of our indoor spaces.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, when used properly, air purifiers can help reduce airborne contaminants, including viruses in a building or confined space. When used along with other best practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, operating an air cleaner can be part of a plan to reduce the potential for airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors.

This project will be funded with the county’s allocation of local aid authorized in the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. In March of 2021, Congress passed and President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. This bill authorized additional funding to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dane County was allocated over $106 million in local aid.

Authorizing this funding will allow Dane County to install the appropriate devices at several of its facilities. The buildings included in this project are:

  • Badger Prairie Health Care Center
  • Badger Prairie Needs Network Building
  • City-County Building
  • Public Safety Building
  • Dane County Courthouse
  • Consolidated Food Service Building
  • Dane County Medical Examiner Building
  • East District Highway Garage
  • Buildings at the Dane County Landfill
  • Tellurian Detox Building
  • Juvenile Detention Center
  • Lussier Family Heritage Center
  • Lyman F. Anderson Agriculture & Conservation Center (Fen Oak)
  • Dane County Clean Sweep Building
  • Blooming Grove Buildings (Emergency Management and Library Service)
  • Sheriff’s Office Training Center
  • Springfield Highway Garage
  • Buildings at the Henry Vilas Zoo
  • Fish Hatchery Highway Building and the South Madison Office
  • Parks Maintenance Building

A resolution to support this project was introduced at last week’s County Board meeting and authorizes a total of $571,300 in American Rescue Plan funding. It is expected to be approved in the coming weeks.

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