Filed Under: County | Long Island | Nassau

The Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) is run by an independent, five-person board appointed by the county executive.  The Department works through the following offices and programs to prevent environmental health hazards in areas such as lead poisoning, county pesticide use, smoking, sanitation, and drinking water quality.

Childhood Lead Poison Prevention Program educates the public and professionals on how to prevent childhood lead poisoning and provides case management and education to all children who are found to have lead poisoning.

The Department’s Community Sanitarian Lead Control Unit investigates sources of lead poisoning in the environment. 

The Office of Water Supply Operations and Engineering oversees water sampling programs and regulates public water supplies.  It produces an annual Groundwater Facts and Public Water Supply Report which describes the quality of groundwater and drinking water.

The Office of Groundwater Assessment and Enforcement works together with other regulatory agencies to prevent groundwater contamination by enforcement of public sewer ordinances and prevention of illegal discharges.

Purity RegulationsThe Bureau of Environmental Management regulates air pollution and toxic and hazardous materials.

The Offices of Complaint Investigation and Technical Services and Support Services respond to pollution complaints, including asbestos, fuel oil tank leakage, and mobile source pollution.

The Bureau of Environmental Engineering provides technical guidance to industry and individuals on pollution control and compliances.

The Integrated Pesticide Management Program was recently instituted in county facilities. Pesticide Application Warning A 17-member Pesticide Advisory Committee meets monthly to advise on the implementation of the program, which aims to reduce pesticide use.

The DOH also monitors and provides information on toxic waste sites although the state and the federal government bear responsibilities for regulation and clean-up of those sites.