Our Vision

Healthy people, Healthy environment

The goal of the Environmental Health Division is to maintain and improve the health of the public through regulation of public facilities, food safety inspections, safe wastewater disposal, investigating nuisance complaints, health hazards, environmental complaints and enforcement of rules and regulations.

Program Areas

• Food Safety-Inspection and permitting of restaurants, bars, school kitchens, mobile food vendors, food vendors at special events and other venues at which food is prepared for and served to the public. Investigation of food borne complaints. Education of food service workers to instruct them in basic food safety and personal hygiene principles.
• Public Accommodations-Inspection of hotels, motels and other nightly rental facilities to ensure clean and sanitary conditions exist.
• Bathing Places-Inspection of public and semi-public pools to prevent unsafe water quality conditions that could lead to disease transmission.
• Children’s Camps-Inspection of children’s camps to minimize unsafe conditions and promote healthful conditions at the camp,
• Public Nuisance Complaints-Investigation of complaints and enforcement of rules to eliminate unsanitary conditions.
• Wastewater-Review of plans for septic tank systems or other onsite sewage disposal systems, inspection of septic tank systems and other onsite sewage disposal systems and the permitting of onsite sewage disposal systems.
• Environmental Complaints-Investigation of complaints and enforcement rules to eliminate environmental nuisances.
  

Food Service Establishment Licenses

The process for opening a food service establishment begins with submitting an application for a food service license. Thorough plans, including detailed drawings, a complete menu, and the required fee must be submitted along with the application. This will initiate the review process. The plans will be analyzed based on the Food Code. Any deficiencies will have to be corrected before beginning construction. Once it has been determined that the plan is in full compliance, a letter of authorization will be issued. At least one inspection will be performed before issuing the license to operate so the applicant can open the establishment. There is an additional fee for the license itself. Please click on the link to the left for the current fee schedule adopted by the Board of Supervisors. For the current Arizona Food Code and the current Arizona State Food Safety Rules please click on the following link. (http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/fses/foodcode.htm)

Wastewater applications:

The process for obtaining a valid septic permit begins with submitting a Notice of Intent to Discharge. Thorough plans, detailed drawings, and site evaluation data are required along with the appropriate fee to initiate the review process. Once the review is complete, the county will issue construction authorization. The county will conduct a minimum of two inspections during construction. When construction is satisfactorily complete the applicant must submit a Request to Discharge. When this application is approved the county will issue discharge authorization.

• Wastewater permits – licensing the planning and construction of on-site wastewater systems through plan reviews and inspections
• Aquifer protection – ensuring groundwater is protected by enforcement of state law and administrative rule