The mission of the Cole County Health Department is "to promote, protect, and assure the health, safety, and quality of life through assessment, policy development, and assurance in order that our community will be a safe, healthy place for our citizens to live and raise families." (CCHD, 2024)
Environmental health is a branch of public health concerning how natural systems and built environments interact and impact human health. CCHD utilizes a team of Environmental Public Health Specialists (EPHS) to identify and prevent environmental concerns that may adversely affect human health.
EPHS staff ensure public safety by enforcing Missouri law and county ordinances specifically pertaining to the sanitation of regulated facilities, private well sampling and onsite wastewater. Duties typically include routine and special circumstance inspections, code enforcement, and the issuance of individual on-site wastewater construction permits.
CCHD has six primary environmental public health programs: child care sanitation, lodging sanitation, food sanitation, code enforcement, onsite wastewater and private well sampling.
Our Child Care Program involves routine and special circumstance sanitation inspections for family homes, group homes, and centers in Cole County. We do not conduct inspections of facilities within the city limits of Jefferson City. Our staff enforces the laws, regulations and guidelines established by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).
The Lodging Sanitation Program is conducted for all of Cole County, including establishments within the city limits of Jefferson City. Rules governing these inspections are set by DHSS and cover the areas of general sanitation, housekeeping, life safety, plumbing, sewage, fire safety, heating, cooling, spas, swimming pools and potable water.
The Food Sanitation Program performs routine and special circumstance inspections for all retail food establishments, temporary food events and farmer's markets in Cole County, except within the city limits of Jefferson City. These inspections are conducted in accordance to the Missouri Food Code and guidelines established by Cole County and the Missouri DHSS. Our program also responds to food safety emergencies that include truck wrecks, fires, floods, power outages and other natural disasters.
Cole County's Code Enforcement Program was enacted to regulate and eliminate public health hazards and nuisances. Our programs jurisdiction typically excludes areas within municipal city limits. By addressing these matters, we aim to minimize the potential of infectious, contagious, communicable or dangerous diseases. Cole County's Code Enforcement Program is typically initiated on an aggrieved party driven basis whereas an affected party will contact our office.
Our Wastewater Permitting Program regulates the construction or repair of individual onsite wastewater systems with flows equal to or less than 3,000 gallons per day. All permitted on-site wastewater systems require registered installers, soil evaluations and EPHS approval. Installers must be registered with the Department of Health and Senior Services and abide by state law and Cole County On-site ordnances. Soil evaluations are required to determine the suitability of the proposed site and its ability to effectively treat sewage. Determining the correct on-site system for your soil type is important, it reduces the potential of ground water contamination and surfacing wastewater. Surfacing wastewater can enter neighboring properties or waterways causing nuisances or potential disease transmission.
CCHD Water Sampling Services can collect two types of water samples for private wells, bacteriological and chemical. We can also provide sampling kits directly to Cole County residents. Private wells are typically sampled to ensure there are no contaminates for drinking purposes. If the results are unsatisfactory, CCHD can provide guidance to resolve problems with the well. We conduct sampling in accordance with guidelines established by DHSS.
For more information regarding the Environmental Public Health Programs or their role in public health, please visit our website at www.colecounty.org/208/Environmental-Public-Health, or contact the Cole County Health Department at (573) 636-2181.
Jadelyn Weed is an Environmental Health Specialist for the Cole County Health Department. Prior to her role with CCHD, she worked with municipalities as a Licensed Wastewater Operator. She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Biology and her Associate of Science in Environmental Studies from Columbia College.