FOOD SANITATION PROGRAM:
Conducts food service inspections of food establishments in Jasper County to determine compliance with the Jasper County Food Service Sanitation Regulations.

The Food Sanitation Program includes inspection of temporary establishments including the Jasper County Fair, The Strawberry Festival, and the Jasper County Fall Festival.

Food Service Manager's Certification courses are held at the health department. By holding this course, it allows food establishments to meet the state requirements of certified food service managers. Five hour continuing education classes are also offered.

A hand washing educational tool is used to provide graphic demonstration of how to properly wash hands to prevent foodborne illness. The training tool is used in the foodservice establishments, long-term care facility, and area schools.

Education of food sanitation is a main segment of the food sanitation program with emphasis being placed on the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept. The HACCP concept focuses on operational risks that directly contribute to the incidences of foodborne illness.

Link –   Food, Drugs and Dairies: http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/fdd/fddintro.htm
              Safe Food Handling: http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbsafefood.htm

POTABLE WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM:
The potable water supply program is provided to protect the citizens of Jasper County from contracting and transmitting waterborne illness by helping to provide and assuring safe water for drinking, culinary, and sanitary purposes.

Existing private water supplies are sampled and inspected upon request of the owner. Semi-private supplies are inspected and sampled upon request of the owner/ occupant. Samples collected by the health department are submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health Laboratory for analysis. If the sampling request is determined to have a public health significance, i.e.: suspected illness, newborn, expectant mother, physician requested, or a newly constructed well, the analysis is done at no cost. Consultations are provided on proper well disinfection, construction, water quality problems, etc.

Link –   Nitrates in Drinking Water: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/NitrateFS.htm

Well permit application are reviewed and permits are issued for new wells. The new wells are inspected and sampled as part of our agent's agreement with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Link –   Bored Wells: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/boredwlsFS.htm
              Drilled Wells: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/drilledwlsFS.htm

All non-community public water supplies are surveyed, sampled, and monitored biannually, these supplies include water vending, schools, industries, etc. that are not served by a municipal supply.

Approvals, consultation, and inspection of the sealing of abandoned wells are performed by the division. Abandoned water well sealing demonstrations are held to provide information regarding the proper sealing procedures, safety hazard of abandoned wells and the potential to contaminate groundwater supplies.

Link – Abandoned Wells: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/abndwlsFS.htm

The division also provides sanitary surveys for rural water expansion projects. Staff are actively involved in wellhead protection development planning for municipal supplies such as E-J Water Corporation and the City of Newton.

Public education is a very integral part of the program with community and school groundwater protection education utilizing the groundwater flow model, which is an extremely visual education tool.

The environmental health staff is currently serving on the wellhead protection development committees of Effingham-Jasper Water Corp. and the City of Newton. Both wellhead protection committees won national awards in 1997 for their groundwater protection efforts.


NUISANCE AND SOLID WASTE PROGRAM:
The Environmental Health Division investigates nuisance and solid waste complaints in accordance with the Jasper County Nuisance and Solid Waste Ordinance. The ordinance covers unincorporated area of the county. The division works in conjunction with the Jasper County Sheriff's Department and the Jasper County State's Attorney's Office to enforce this ordinance. Upon request, the division also assists the City of Newton in investigations of violations of their ordinances. The department is a member of the Illinois Attorney General's Environmental Crime Network.

Referrals are made to other agencies as needed, such as the Illinois Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Division, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and the Illinois Department of Agriculture.


INDOOR AIR:
The division responds to inquires from the public on various indoor air questions and concerns. Carbon monoxide detectors are made available to the public.

Link –  Moisture in the Home: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/moisture.htm


HOUSING:
Housing concerns are addressed and referred as needed to other agencies.


PRIVATE SEWAGE PROGRAM:
The private sewage program is conducted by agreement with the Illinois Department of Public Health to serve as an "agent" of the State. This agreement included issuing approvals for new septic systems, inspections of new systems and investigation complaints. Enforcement action for noncompliance cases are referred to the Illinois Department of Public Health.


VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAM:
The Environmental Division applied for and has received a grant to conduct the Vector Control Program for the past four years. The focus of this program is to identify and control the presence of vector mosquitoes including the Asian tiger mosquito (Ades albopictus). The division provides consultation and education to county residents an mosquito prevention and control. Currently, there are no mosquito abatement districts in the county,

During 1994, the presence of the Asian tiger mosquito was identified in large populations at a massive waste tire disposal facility. Viral assays were conducted at the site with specimens being collected and submitted to the Center of Disease Control Laboratory in Fort Collins. The tire site was abated in 1995 by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The area is still monitored to determine presence of the Asian tiger mosquito. One staff person in certified by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as a public applicator in mosquito pest control. Mosquito larvae and adult collections are conducted to determine problem areas.

Link –   Prevention/Control: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/psreduction.htm
              HealthBeat_Mosquitoes: http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbmosquito.htm

The division also conducts inspections of other problem areas with mosquito larvae and adult specimens collected and identified. If vector mosquitoes are identified, larvaciding may be performed if needed. Integrated pest management practices are utilized to control targeted infestations.

Link –   West Niles Virus: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm

Other insects are submitted for identification as a service to the citizens.