Environmental Health

• Restaurant Grades
• Fee Schedule

The main objective of the environmental health department is to promote and protect public health through the enforcement of local and state public health and environmental health laws, rules, and regulations for the citizens of Moore County. Moore County Environmental Health Specialist who enforce these rules and regulations, are required to be authorized by the North Carolina Division of Environmental Health and registered by the North Carolina State Board of Sanitarian Examiners. The Division is responsible for North Carolina State mandated sanitation inspections on a basis determined by the state legislation. These services are available to citizens, contractors, real estate professionals, food service managers, owners, developers, lodging, day care owners, school system administrators, public swimming pool operators, medical facilities, tattoo artist, and other interested parties in Moore County.

The Food/Lodging/Institutional section is responsible for food service plan reviews, permitting, and/or inspections of restaurants, food stands, temporary food establishments, mobile food units, school cafeterias, meat markets, day cares, hospitals, rest/nursing homes, schools, local confinement facilities, residential care homes, motels, bed and breakfast homes/inns, public swimming pools/spas, lead investigations( children’s lead law), summer camps, food borne illness investigations, and general complaints regarding food service establishments. This section also provides educational opportunities in conjunction with the Cooperative Extension Office in Serve-Safe food handling classes.

The Waste water and Ground water section is responsible for the on-site sewage and private well programs that evaluate land to determine suitability for an on-site ground absorption sewage disposal (septic tank) and/or private water supply well. Septic permits and private well permits are issued after such site and soil evaluations are performed and the site meets applicable conditions. We also provide private well water sampling with the applicable fee. The water quality program oversees the construction, repair, and abandonment of private water supplies

On-site Waste water:

Site evaluations/System installation process- The soil is evaluated to determine the suitability for a septic tank system,( septic permits), issue improvement permits and construction authorizations, inspect installation of septic systems and issue operator permits for approved systems.
System inspection (certification)-An inspection is required when any new construction is begun on a piece of property that has an existing septic system and /or well.
System repair-We evaluate problems with existing septic systems and provide possible solutions, as well as issue septic permits required to repair the system.

Food/Lodging/Institutional sanitation:

Food Service Plan Review: Review your architectural and engineered plans for food service establishments. Plan review application required.
Audit restaurants, food stands, hotels, motels, nursing homes, jails, summer camps, residential cares, mobile food units, day cares, bed/breakfast homes and inns, schools, school cafeterias, and temporary food establishments for minimum sanitation standards.
Public swimming pool program: Public swimming pools, spas, and wading pools are audited for minimum health and safety standards. Public swimming pool and spa plan reviews are accessed for engineering and/or architectural compliance. Pool permit applications and permits are required.
Tattoo artist: Tattoo artist and facilities are audited for minimum sanitation standards. An application for a tattoo artist permit is required.

Water Quality:

Well permits: All private wells and well repairs require a well permit application.
Water supply well sampling: Test samples are collected from all new and repaired wells for potentially harmful bacteria and/or contaminants. Existing wells may be sampled provided the well meets current construction standards. All water samples are sent to the North Carolina State Public Health Laboratory.
Well site and inspection of wells- Assistance from this division is required in establishing the location of the well through site evaluations and perform inspections throughout construction.

Footnote: Many of these services require a fee for service. Please contact our office for prices.