Environmental Health

Logo for our environmental health center

The Center's Role


The Center for Environmental Health, a vital link of Livingston County Department of Health, will provide effective education and inspection programs to help reduce public exposure to environmental hazards, as well as envisioning an informed community living in a safe environment.

What is Environmental Health?


The Center For Environmental Health is committed to the concept of disease prevention and health promotion for the residents of Livingston County. The center has a number of programs designed to encourage healthful practices and to eliminate or effectively control environmental conditions which may adversely affect public health. The center is currently offering the following programs:

Restaurants and Food


  • Administers food worker's courses
  • Investigates cases of foodborne illness
  • Issues permits and inspects restaurants and food vendors
  • Provides instruction and guidance
  • Responds to questions and complaints
Click here (works best with Firefox or Chrome) for Livingston County Food Service Establishment Inspection results.

NEW in 2017!
An online Food Worker's Course is now available for Livingston County food establishments! Click here to find out more about this exciting and easy opportunity.

Campgrounds/Children's Camps


  • Inspects annually and issues permit
  • Responds to complaints

Hotels/Motels/Mobile Home Parks


  • Inspects annually and issues permit
  • Responds to complaints

Public Pools/Beaches


  • Oversees water sampling and testing
  • Performs inspections to evaluate safety hazards

Water Supply


  • Inspects and tests public water supplies
  • Issues health notices and advisories
  • Provides education for private water users
  • Provides guidance and education to operators of public water systems
  • Responds to problems and complaints
  • Click here to learn about THM's in water

Sewage Disposal/Septic Systems

(Click here for an application)
  • Issues permits and conducts inspections (How to obtain a permit)
  • Offers technical assistance for homeowners, contractors, and design professionals (Click here for more information)
  • Responds to complaints

Dog Control


  • Maintains county dog shelter
  • Operates dog adoption program
  • Picks up stray dogs
  • Promotes dog licensure and vaccination
  • Responds to complaints with local ordinances

Rabies Control/Animal Bites


  • Identifies possible exposure to rabies
  • Promotes rabies awareness in the community
  • Provides testing of suspect wildlife and domestic animals
  • Offers vaccination clinics
  • Click here to report a bite

Insect Disease Transmission


  • Provides education on avoidance for diseases that can be transmitted by insects to include West Nile Virus, Zika, and Lyme disease.

Clean Indoor Air/Retail Tobacco Compliance


  • Conducts routine inspections at regulated facilities
  • Ensures compliance with county and state tobacco laws
  • Investigates complaints and answers questions
  • Compliance checks are conducted using an underage youth. Sales made to an underage youth result in an enforcement action for violation of Public Health Law Article 13-F. New York State law also requires that the name and address of the Retail Tobacco Dealer in violation of Article 13-F be made public.
    View the List of Retail Tobacco Dealers in Violation of Article 13-F
  • Conducts investigations in response to concerns for indoor air quality

Radon Awareness/Testing



  • Provides assistance to homeowners regarding indoor radon hazards
  • Distributes FREE radon kits to Livingston County residents
  • View the New York State Department of Health radon page here

Lead Prevention


  • Assesses homes to identify sources of lead
  • Collects samples for testing
  • Directs cleanup of lead sources
  • Provides occupational hazard training

Public Health Nuisances


  • Investigates complaints on garbage, rodents, and other unsanitary conditions

Conesus Lake Watershed Surveillance


Click here to visit our page on the Planning Department website.
  • Collects water quality samples
  • Inspects the lake watershed to insure compliance with rules and regulations
  • Investigates complaints
  • Provides guidance and education to homeowners, lake area visitors, business owners, and the farming community
Blue Green Algae Fact Sheet
Conesus Lake Guide

Weights and Measures


  • Performs inspections of retail facilities to ensure proper calibration of scales and fuel pumps
  • Responds to consumer complaints

**Information found within this site was graciously given by Tompkins County Environmental Health staff.**