The Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS) gets involved in two areas of sanitation. The first is the food service area and the second is in the quality of public drinking water.
Under an agreement between the State of Illinois and McLean County, the McLean County Health Department has the authority to inspect and cite any University food services. These include:
The OEHS does not become involved in the inspection of food services unless requested to do so by the department. They will advise on the construction of a food service, however. If the McLean County Health Department finds a violation or receives a complaint, they notify the OEHS. The OEHS then investigates the situation, determines the problem, and advises the department or office of the needed corrections. A report is then filed with the County Health Department for their records.
The OEHS also reviews all requests for the serving of food during special events. As part of the check-off list, the event sponsors must contact the OEHS if they are serving food. If the serving of the food is in accordance with the County Health Regulations, authorization is given. Copies of the County Health Regulations can be obtained from the OEHS.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) requires that all public drinking water be tested on a periodic basis. The OEHS collects eight samples of drinking water from various places on campus once a month and sends them to a laboratory for bacterial analysis.
The OEHS also conducts required sampling to maintain compliance with the IEPA in monitoring water quality and lead/copper program standards. This involves collecting water from approximately 40 representative sites throughout the University's water distribution system. The water is then submitted to IEPA for analysis to detect the presence of lead/copper.
If there are any problems with the drinking water, individuals and departments should contact the OEHS and they will investigate the situation.
Policy Owner: Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Contact: Office of Environmental Health and Safety (309-438-8325)
Revised on: 05/2001
