Land and Water

The Environmental Health - Land and Water Quality (LWQ) unit oversees three key programs that aim to protect public health from harmful contaminants in our land and water. 

ABOUT US

• Solid Waste Management—EH is designated by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) as the Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) to ensure compliance with the management, permitting, and inspection of solid waste operations and facilities in OC.
• Site Mitigation – EH manages the State of California Water Resources Control Board's Local Oversight Program (LOP) to oversee the cleanup of areas contaminated by leaking underground storage tanks, such as gasoline tanks beneath gas stations. EH also manages the State Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) volunteer industrial cleanup program for contaminated sites in OC. 
• Water Quality – EH oversees well construction and destruction, prevents cross connections, and regulates liquid waste haulers. It also routinely collects samples from OC’s ocean and bay waters to test for potentially hazardous bacterial contamination, which may adversely affect public health.