Environmental Health Services

In 2003, the number of food establishments regulated by EHS grew to 3,400. Many of these facilities presented challenges involving new and unique food processing procedures or exotic menu items. Food program staff is committed to working with the industry to introduce these new food service concepts while assuring food safety for the dining public. Food protection program staff also worked in conjunction with the service unit’s institution program staff to develop more rigorous standards for assuring that school and child care center lunch programs are safe and healthy.

The Illinois Swimming Facility Act and Code was revised in 2003 and public spas were added to swimming pools for inspections. EHS has been inspecting public spas since 1984 so no significant problems were encountered. Inspectors identified fewer problems with swimming pools and public spas than previous years. Complaints were at an all-time low.

Environmental Health Services received a vector control agreement from the Illinois Department of Public Health for funding from Senate Bill 361. That bill established the Emergency Public Health Fund and it requires IDPH to distribute funds collected from the sale of tires to local health departments for expenses related to West Nile Virus or other vector-borne diseases. The Health Department received an initial award of $99,700. EHS used this money to develop a mosquito surveillance program to test mosquitoes for West Nile Virus, St. Louis Encephalitis and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. This will allow the identification of viral activity in the community so appropriate mosquito abatement activity can be conducted.

EHS worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Naperville to supply public water to residents affected by trichloroethylene (TCE) groundwater contamination from the former Nike C-70 Missile Battery site. Construction was completed in October. The scope of the project encompassed one farm irrigation system and 44 residential wells.

EHS is working with Downers Grove and the DuPage County Public Works Department to supply public water to residents affected by TCE and PCE (tetrachloroethylene) groundwater contamination from Ellsworth Industrial Park. The scope of this project is 880 water wells needing to be sealed and about 800 public water service connections made to homes.

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