Environmental Health Services

Environmental Health

The Environmental Health Section provides primary prevention through a combination of surveillance, education, enforcement, and assessment programs designed to identify, prevent, and abate the environmental conditions that adversely impact human health.

Food Service Program

The goal of the food service program is to reduce the risk of food-borne illness associated with the improper storage, preparation, and cooking of food. The EH Section permits facilities and conducts food service inspections at a minimum of twice per year. The EH Section also provides education, investigates complaints, and assists the Epidemiology Section with Food-borne Illness Investigations. Environmental Health Specialists operate under the auspices of the Georgia Rules and Regulations governing Food Service, Chapter 511-6-1.
For more information on the Food Service Program, including Rules & Regulations, Applications, and information on Mobile Units, please visit:
GADPH Environmental Health Food Service Program

Effective immediately, Verification of Residency for Public Benefits affidavits must be collected from operators/owners of all new facilities that require permits from the state of Georgia or a specific county. This includes Food Service, Tourist Accommodations, Body Art, and Public Swimming Pools that operate for a fee. These forms must be submitted with the respective permit application and notarized. The affidavit can be downloaded here:GA DPH Environmental Health Residency Verification Form

View the most recent scores for restaurants, tourist accommodations, and public swimming pools in the district. Search by keyword, establishment name, city, zip code, or county.
Health Inspection Scores.

Tourist Accommodations

Tourist accommodations are regulated and inspected by public health to minimize illnesses and injuries associated with unsanitary or hazardous conditions. As with food service establishments, we investigate and respond to all health-related complaints.

For more information on tourist accommodations, including rules & regulations and applications, please visit:
Hotels, Motels, and Campgrounds
Effective immediately, Verification of Residency for Public Benefits affidavits must be collected from operators/owners of all new facilities that require permits from the state of Georgia or a specific county. This includes Food Service, Tourist Accommodations, Body Art, and Public Swimming Pools that operate for a fee. These forms must be submitted with the respective permit application and notarized. The affidavit can be downloaded here: GA DPH Environmental Health Residency Verification Form

Additional Resources for Travelers:
Click here to download the state’s bedbug brochure to learn more about inspection, prevention, and control of bed bugs: Bed Bug Handbook

Public Swimming Pools

All public pools, spas or recreational water parks must obtain a valid operating permit from the local health authority. Environmental Health inspects these facilities and trains staff to minimize illnesses and injuries associated with contaminated or hazardous conditions in or around swimming pools.

For more information on Public Swimming Pools and Spas, including Rules & Regulations and Applications, please visit:
Public Swimming Pool Rules and Regulations

Effective immediately, Verification of Residency for Public Benefits affidavits must be collected from operators/owners of all new facilities that require permits from the state of Georgia or a specific county. This includes Food Service, Tourist Accommodations, Body Art, and Public Swimming Pools that operate for a fee. These forms must be submitted with the respective permit application and notarized. The affidavit can be downloaded here: GA DPH Environmental Health Residency Verification Form

Onsite Sewage Program

Through our sewage program we provide many services that help to protect public health as well as Georgia’s natural resources. These services include septic tank permits, repair permits, existing system evaluations, site evaluations, and subdivision plan reviews. Inspections are also required on both septic tank permits and repair permits. Each inspection is performed by an Environmental Health Specialist according to the Rules and Regulations for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Chapter 511-3-1). These inspections help to ensure correct installation and proper repair of domestic on-site sewage management systems. Through regulating the installation and repair of on-site sewage systems, our department helps to protect Georgia’s groundwater, drinking water, and surface water from harmful organisms and chemicals.

For more information on the Onsite Sewage Program, including Rules & Regulations, Contractor Applications, and lists of certified installers, pumpers, and soil classifiers, please visit:

Onsite Sewage Program

For county specific forms, please visit your county health department’s page.

Non-Public Well Program

The goal of the program is to minimize water-related illnesses in non-public wells.

Information on Installation, Maintenance, Sampling, and Abandonment of Private Wells

Well Water Standards Act

To obtain a Well Certification Request Form for your county, please visit the South Central Health District Forms page.

Procedures for Disinfecting Wells:

Well disinfection is necessary following a positive bacteria test (coliform), new well construction, any repairs, or after flooding. Click here for more information.

Rabies Program

The goal of the Rabies Control Program is to minimize the spread of the rabies virus in the human population. Environmental Health investigates all reported bites and possible rabies exposure, provides technical assistance to private physicians, veterinarians, hospital emergency rooms, and local animal control shelters by following the Rabies Control Law, O.C.G.A. 31-19, and the Department of Public Health Rule 511-2-7.

Several species of wild animals that are native to Georgia – including raccoons, foxes, and bats – can carry rabies. Rabies is a potentially deadly virus that is primarily spread by infected animals.

For more information on the Rabies Program, please visit:

GA DPH Rabies Information

Mold Inquiries

Environmental Health does not provide mold investigations or testing in private residences or rental properties or offer any specific services related to mold growth indoors. General information on mold can be found at:

GA DPH Indoor Air Quality

Georgia Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

District 5-1 Lead Coordinator

Sierra West

Work Cell: (470) 356-5876 Office Phone: (478) 275-6545

Goals of the District 5-1 Lead Coordinator:

Ensure to promote case management and environmental investigations on all children with confirmed elevated blood levels at or above te state action level of 3.5 ug/dL and to also provide environmental clearances per protocol.
Promote Testing of at-risk children for lead in the district.
Coordinate or provide educational outreach programs directed at physicians and high-risk populations to expand practitioner and community awareness of lead.
Create parterships and activities that promote lead poisoning prevention.
Enforce hazard reduction in inspected housing, daycares, or schools as necessary.

Please note that the CDC updated the Blood Lead Reference Value (BLRV) to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter.

The key aims of GHHLPPP are to:

Transition into a comprehensive Healthy Homes Program while continuing to monitor for lead exposure and provide case management and environmental investigations lead poisoned children;
Develop and implement a strategic plan for the state to reduce or eliminate housing‐related health hazards and to promote housing that is healthy, safe, affordable, and accessible;
Build a consortium of strategic partners to address unsafe and/or unhealthy housing conditions caused by housing‐based hazards by leveraging resources and seeking sustainability in funding;
Assure that follow up care and interventions are provided for vulnerable populations who are identified with housing‐related health issues;
Expand the GHHLPPP surveillance system to include not only blood lead levels, but also environmental tests results and selected healthy homes variables;
Consolidate existing related Department of Public Health (DPH) programs into a comprehensive Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program;
Work with housing agencies to enforce hazard reduction in inspected housing through existing HUD hazard reduction programs, healthy homes local programs, and housing code enforcement mechanisms;
Engage our Environmental Justice and Faith Based Partners to educate the community concerning the dangers of housing‐based hazards, including lead poisoning, and identifying vulnerable populations that may suffer the most from these health threatening sources of exposure;
Contribute to DPH’s mission of responsible health planning and improved health outcomes for the residents of Georgia;
Expand GHHLPPP by adding staff training in healthy homes concepts and implementing interventions and referrals in response to the detection of housing‐based health hazards;
Reduce the overall cost of expensive medical responses to injuries and the exasperation of health conditions such as asthma by applying primary prevention principles to reduce housing‐based hazards to reduce exposure prior to needing medical interventions;
Employ indicator based evaluation techniques to evaluate every aspect of the program to increase efficiency and implement responsible health care planning and utilization of resources; and
Continue to train and credential existing Environmental Health Branch and local environmental health specialists in lead inspection techniques as well as Healthy Homes Practitioner principles.