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Exploring Sanitation-Related Complaints in New York City through Data Visualization
Introduction
Sanitation plays a crucial role in maintaining public health by preventing the spread of diseases and promoting overall well-being. Using the 311 Datasets, this project explores the distribution of sanitation related complaints received in 2013 by the Department of Sanitation, NYC. Assessing sanitation-related complaints serves as an effective indicator of population exposure to environmental and health risks.
Project Objectives
- To determine the spatial and temporal distribution of sanitation related complaints in New York City in 2023
- To evaluate the performance of NYC Department of Sanitation in resolving sanitation complaints in 2013
Method
This project will utilize the 311 Complaint Data from the New York City Open Data Portal. At the row level, the dataset will be filtered to include only complaints made in 2023 (January to December) and “Complaint Type” set to “Dirty Condition”. Relevant columns shall include created_date, closed_date, location_type, city, status, borough among others.
Target Audience
This work would benefit the New York City Department of Sanitation by providing a snapshot of reported sanitation-related issues in 2023 and to expose areas that require more attention. Additionally, it will provide valuable insights for individuals contemplating residential decisions within the city, as sanitation significantly influences such choices. Furthermore, it will aid public health officials in strategically targeting sanitation-related interventions by facilitating the identification of priority areas.
Results
Design decision: I chose a line graph for this visual because it is a good fit for illustrating time-series data. The number of categories were few(5) so representing each category with a separate line did not lead to a clutter. I chose to label each line with the borough it represents, instead of generating a separate legend for the purpose because that makes it easier to read. I did not title the x-axis because it is self-explanatory. The choice of color was selected by default and I did not think it was necessary to change it.
The graph illustrates the trend of sanitation-related complaints across different boroughs of New York City throughout the year 2023. It reveals that complaints peaked during the summer months, with a significant surge in July and August, indicating potential seasonal factors influencing sanitation issues. Brooklyn experienced the highest number of complaints, especially during these peak months, followed by Queens and Manhattan, while the Bronx and Staten Island reported fewer incidents. However, an unusual spike is observed in Staten Island in November, warranting further investigation into the causes behind this anomaly.
Sidewalks emerged as the primary concern, receiving the highest number of sanitation complaints, more than double those reported for streets. This pattern suggests that sidewalks, as critical public spaces, are not only high-traffic areas but also key indicators of the urban cleanliness perceived by residents. The stark contrast in complaint frequency between sidewalks and other locations such as yards and alleys underscore the necessity for the Department of Sanitation to concentrate its efforts on maintaining sidewalk cleanliness to improve the overall urban environment.
Design decisions: This was the case of 3 categories sharing the same pie, so a pie chart was very appropriate. The brown color was deliberately chosen to represent dirty condition. The remaining colors were maintained from the default choice.
The pie chart delineates the composition of ‘Dirty Condition’ complaints in New York City for 2023, revealing that the predominant category, constituting two-thirds of the complaints, pertains to general dirty conditions, which might include litter, debris, or other unsanitary matters not removed in a timely manner. Notably, missed waste collections, which can lead to accumulations of garbage contributing to the dirty conditions, represent almost a third of the complaints. The relatively minor slice of complaints regarding lot conditions suggests that while lot maintenance is an issue, it is significantly overshadowed by the broader concerns with general cleanliness and garbage collection services.
Design Decisions: My initial thought was to use a clustered bar graph, and I actually did that, but a colleague suggested during the studio critique that a clustered bar graph would be more appropriate. Then I tried and saw that indeed it was. I decided to label the bars because of the tendency for people to misread clustered bar graphs. Nonetheless, I labelled the x-axis because one of the categories (Lot condition) was so small it could not be labelled.
Brooklyn emerged as the leading borough in terms of sanitation concerns, with the highest counts across all categories. This trend suggests that Brooklyn may be facing systemic challenges in maintaining sanitation standards, potentially due to higher population density or insufficient sanitation resources. The relatively high incidence of missed collections could be indicative of logistical shortcomings or a mismatch between sanitation services and community needs.
Design decisions: The line chart was chosen because it is very appropriate for the continuous data expressed over time. The data points were labelled on the line for easy and accurate reading. This also made the y-axis redundant and consequently eliminated.
The line graph depicts a significant improvement in the New York City Department of Sanitation’s responsiveness to sanitation complaints over the course of 2023, with the monthly average resolution time decreasing from 9 days in January to just 1 day by December. This positive trend indicates a substantial enhancement in operational efficiency, likely due to improved processes, resource allocation, or the implementation of new technologies for managing and addressing complaints. This decrease in resolution time is crucial for maintaining public health standards and preventing the escalation of sanitation issues into more severe public health crises.
Next Steps
The immediate next steps would involve a deeper dive into the causal factors behind the high volume of complaints in certain boroughs, particularly Brooklyn. For more complex future developments, implementing a geospatial analysis would provide a visual representation of complaint hotspots and resolution efficiency across the city. Improvements could also be made by leveraging predictive analytics to anticipate areas of potential concern and preemptively address them. In terms of alterations in scope, expanding the research to include health outcomes related to sanitation complaints might reveal direct impacts on public health, providing a stronger impetus for policy action.
Conclusion
In 2023, New York City’s sanitation data reflected a dual narrative: significant challenges, particularly in Brooklyn with high complaint volumes, and substantial improvements, as seen in the reduced resolution times from 9 to 1 day by year-end. These insights highlight Brooklyn’s urgent need for enhanced sanitation services and the effective strides made city-wide in operational efficiency. The year’s data serves as a benchmark for continued progress in the city’s public health and urban cleanliness efforts.
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