Monitors, corrects, and prevents environmental hazards that could impact health. Provides guidance on environmental health concerns. Conducts inspections and provides education to establishments with public health impact. Also works with individuals to identify and control for health hazards. Programs include: - Food establishments. - Public pools, spas, and bathing beaches. - Body art and tanning facilities. - Wells and septic. - Vector control and surveillance. - Neighborhood code enforcement. - Lead poisoning prevention. - Radon prevention. Food Establishments: - Permits, inspects, and regulates food establishments in Winnebago County. - Receives foodborne and waterborne illness outbreak reports from Communicable Diseases and conducts environmental investigations. - Issues annual and temporary permits. - Provides consultation, plan review, and pre-operational inspections for new food establishment operators to ensure compliance with code. Public Pools, Spas, and Bathing Beaches: - Permits, inspects, and regulates public pools, spas, and bathing beaches in Winnebago County. Body Art and Tanning Facilities: - Inspects and regulates body art and tanning facilities in Winnebago County. Wells and Septic: - Permits, inspects, and regulates private water well and sewage systems in Winnebago County. - Inspections and permits are required for the construction of new systems or the modification of existing systems. - Provides inspection services related to construction and property sales/purchases. - Provides information to homeowners on how to manage their private water well and sewage systems. Vector Control and Surveillance: - Monitors for and uses environmental controls to limit the spread of vectors that carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease. (Vectors that can spread disease include mosquitos, tick, rat, mouse, bird, or other insect or animals that can transmit organisms to humans). - Conducts seasonal tick drags and tick identification. - Monitors mosquito and dead bird population for illness. Neighborhood Code Enforcement: - Conducts inspections of properties to ensure compliance with the Winnebago County Property Maintenance Code. - Provides guidance to residents on how to maintain property in a safe and healthy way. Lead Poisoning Prevention: - Conducts inspections of homes of children with elevated blood lead levels to determine sources and works to eliminate the source. - Provides opportunities for low income families with children under 6 years of age to make their homes safe from lead hazards. Radon Prevention: - Provides radon testing kits at a minimal cost to residents to help residents identify and mitigate radon gas in their home. Services for the public: - Low cost radon tests. - Assistance with elevated blood lead levels (medical case management, lead source identification, prevention education and guidance). - Permits to operate a food establishment. - Permits to serve food at public events. - Register for a cottage food application. - Investigation of foodborne illness complaints. - Permits for waste haulers, public pools, spas, bath and beaches, and assists with obtaining IDPH permits for body art or tanning facilities. - Guidance on bed bugs, maintaining private wells and sewage systems, safe food handling for events, cottage food requirements, reducing mosquito and tick populations near your home, addressing lead hazards, operating permitted businesses in Winnebago County.