Mission Statement: Provide and promote protection of Public Health and the Environment through education, consultation, and regulation.
The Environmental Soils Division (ES) provides site evaluation, permitting, plan review, consultation and inspection of on-site wastewater treatment and soil dispersal systems. ES also inspects sewage pumper trucks, reports on condition of existing wastewater systems, maintains an Operation and Maintenance tracking system, provides the public with information on wastewater treatment systems and regulations and investigates sewage hazards. In addition, ES is engaged with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in the proactive pursuit of protection of the groundwater in southern Deschutes County. With the Environmental Health Division moving to the Health Department and the retirement of the former Environmental Health Director, Environmental Soils staff decreased to one permanent staff, with assistance from one on-call EHS position.