DEHQ Divisions

The Department of Environmental Health and Quality's mission is to protect the environment and public health. It accomplishes this through the work of its four divisions.  

Food and Housing (FHD) conducts more than 33,000 restaurant and food truck / food cart inspections each year and issues the appropriate A-B-C grade card. The division is also responsible for inspecting over 7,300 swimming pools, checking for everything from water quality and filtration systems, to safety equipment and enclosures. Food and Housing personnel also inspect body art facilities, as well as apartments, hotels and motels, camps and even detention facilities. FHD responds to public health threats and environmental hazards associated with these regulated facilities, including fires, food recalls and boil water orders, all in the interest of promoting safe communities. Watch the video clip on Food and Housing

Land and Water Quality tests the water of our world-famous beaches and bays and posts the results for residents and visitors. Land and Water Quality deals with recycled water, testing and removal of underground storage tanks, inspection of small drinking water systems, wells, and mobile home parks in the unincorporated county. Watch a short video clip of Land and Water Quality

Community Health conducts collection of household hazardous materials in the unincorporated county; coordinates the county's asbestos and lead programs; and runs the vector control program to keep us safe from diseases such as West Nile virus, hantavirus, Lyme disease, and others. It was also instrumental in the new countywide program to control eye gnats. Other programs under the community health umbrella include radiological health and the solid waste local enforcement agency dealing with landfills and composting facilities. Find out more about the Community Health Division in this short video clip.

Hazardous Materials Division regulates more than 13,000 businesses to ensure that hazardous materials, hazardous and medical wastes, are property catalogued, stored and managed. The HIRT (Hazardous Incident Response Team) responds to spills and works with various other agencies in cleanup operations. Public outreach and educational programs range from schools to newsletters and web sites. Watch a video clip on the Hazardous Materials Division.

DEHQ:  People - Environment - Health