A key component of public health, environmental public health focuses on preventing and controlling human diseases caused or impacted by our environment. Many aspects of our environment, both built (pools, sidewalk, and park access) and natural (water, air, soil, and food), can impact our health.
Environmental public health professionals work to prevent disease and create healthy environments that promote well-being, fostering healthy, and safe communities by ensuring the safety of what we eat, breathe, touch, and drink.
Statewide activities focus on prevention, preparedness, and education through routine monitoring, outreach, surveillance, and sampling of facilities and other environments that may contribute to injuries and the occurrence or transmission of disease
Florida Water Quality
Protecting Florida Together map delivers statewide water quality information for blue-green algae and red tide (harmful algal blooms). You can sign-up to receive notifications when water quality changes in your area.
The Florida Department of Health in Gadsden County’s (DOH-Gadsden) Environmental Health Program provides a wide variety of services to the citizens of Gadsden County.
Facility and Food Programs
This section coordinates programs on a statewide basis, including:
- Helping ensure the safety of selected food service facilities
- Migrant labor camps
- Group care facilities
- Biomedical waste generators
- Storage facilities and transporters
- Tanning facilities
- Mobile home and recreational vehicle parks
The section also sets standards for and certifies environmental health professionals.
Water Programs
This program area ensures the safety of drinking water for approximately 50% of Florida’s residents. The Water Programs area also manages Department responsibilities under the State Underground Petroleum Environmental Response Act (SUPER Act), and the Drinking Water Toxics Program. In addition, it sets standards for the operation of public swimming pools and monitors water quality at selected beaches and public bathing places.
Onsite Sewage Programs
This program area helps ensure the safety of the installation and repair of all onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems within the state. Environmental Health professionals in the onsite sewage program develop guidelines and provide training and standardization for DOH-Gadsden employees.