Environmental Health

The Jefferson County Public Health Service is a partial unit department and works closely with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) District Office in Watertown regarding Jefferson County environmental health priorities and concerns. The NYSDOH Watertown District Office enforces regulations that protect the public’s health, safety and environment related to food, water and indoor air quality in restaurants, camps, pools, beaches, hotels, motels and fairgrounds for Jefferson County. The NYSDOH Watertown District Office also investigates concerns about hazardous or unhealth conditions in and around homes and workplaces throughout Jefferson County.

Who to Contact:

NYSDOH Health & Safety in the Home, Workplace and Outdoors

To discuss your concerns about apartment building or rental property, contact your town or village code enforcement officer.

To discuss your concerns about supermarkets or grocery stores, contact: New York State Department of Agriculture

To discuss your concerns about a possible spill or chemical pollution, contact: New York State Department of Conservation (DEC)

Lead Poisoning Prevention

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program webpage

• FDA Alert: More Ground Cinnamon Products Added to Public Health Alert due to Presence of Elevated Levels of Lead

We host EPA Lead-Safe RRP Training Courses here at JCPHS provided by Flately Read, Inc. These trainings are open to homeowners, property owners/managers, contractors & their employees, etc. in Jefferson County. The course is 8 hours and offered at no-cost. Space is limited, so registration is required by calling us at 315-786-3730. For more information about RRP, please visit the EPA RRP webpage.

• Friday, September 20, 2024 8:30am - 4:30pm
• Friday, January 10, 2025 8:30am - 4:30pm

Jefferson County Beaches

In our county, beach water quality monitoring is done by NYS Department of Health (public beaches) and NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation (State Park beaches).

The beach water quality results are posted online, along with any beach closures:

• NYS Department of Health Beach Water Quality Status map
• NYS Parks Beach Water Quality Status map

Radon

Free Radon Test Kits are available at our office. Please call 315-786-3730 or click here for more information.

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas found in soil and rock that gets into the air you breath. It seeps into buildings through cracks in the foundation, walls, and joints. It can get into any type of building--homes, offices, and schools. The greatest risk for exposure is where you spend most of your time – usually at home.  Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who do not smoke. You can't see, taste, or smell radon. The only way to know if your home has high radon levels is to test it.  Radon test kits can be purchased from a hardware store usually for $10 - $30.  Follow the test instructions to ensure the test is done correctly.  If you have high levels of radon in your home, call a  certified radon mitigator to install a system that will reduce the radon levels in your home.

Radon in Jefferson County

New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) both recommend radon mitigation when a radon test shows levels of 4 pCi/L or higher.  If the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L you may also consider having your home fixed. Find a certified radon mitigator to install a system that will reduce the radon levels in your home.

Resources

NYSDOH Radon webpage

EPA Resources For Home Buyers and Sellers

American Cancer Society Radon & Cancer

Restoring and Testing Your Private Well After a Flood

After flooding, water from private wells may not be safe to drink. Private well owners should take steps to restore their private water supply. When a private water well has been flooded, the water in it may be contaminated with waterborne pathogens (germs) that can cause serious illness in humans and pets. If you believe that your well has been contaminated, stop using your well water for drinking and cooking purposes. 

Click here to learn how to restore & test your well.

Boil Water Advisory

Boiling water is a very effective way to disinfect water contaminated by microorganisms (germs or pathogens) and make it ready to drink. The public may be directed to boil their water if something occurs that could contaminate drinking water. Common reasons for a boil water notice include loss of pressure in the water distribution system, loss of disinfection, and other water quality concerns caused by other events such as water line breaks, power outages and floods.  Click here to learn more about boil water notices.