EnerGov EH

All Environmental Health forms are located on the Environmental Health Home Page, here.

You have to wait for Public Health to review the restaurant kitchen plans and menu before getting a building permit. Environmental Health Specialists who have many years of experience working with food safety regulations are assigned the task of reviewing restaurant kitchen plans before the project is released for issue of building permits.  We can better help business owners set themselves up for success if we work together on paper ahead of brick and mortar activities.

• Provide a site plan drawn to scale (1″ = 50′) showing the location of any/ all structures proposed on the property; lot dimensions; driveway location; any proposed well location.
• If the applicant is not the current property owner, a signed and dated letter from the current property owner is required giving permission for the applicant to apply for an Improvement Permit.
• Property Accessibility (Clearing the Lot) — An Environmental Health Specialist must have access and clearance enough to determine (be able to see) the location of property lines, and the proposed structure(s) and driveway in relation to property lines.
• Expiration Date for Permits – This is a two (2) step process because often before buying property, individuals want to ascertain that construction and use of a septic system can be permitted on the property.  First, application is made to Public Health to conduct a site/soil evaluation of the property with at least some general idea of what the buyer or property owner plans to construct.  If something other than a single family residence is proposed, then Public Health will need to know more details in order to estimate the daily amount of waste water a septic system must have capacity to support.  After analysis of the available space and soil characteristics, a general determination can be made with this information as to whether or not an Improvement Permit (1^st step) can be issued specific to this parcel of land.  The second (2^nd) step, securing an Authorization to Construct can proceed when the owner can provide a detailed site plan and specifics as to how the proposed structure(s) will be used.  Normally, an Improvement Permit and Construction Authorization specific to a parcel of land states the expiration as five (5) years from the date of issue.

• Irrigation wells do not require a permit.
• All wells must meet the minimum setbacks of 50 feet from any part of the septic system and 25 feet from all foundations.

• You may get a new well tested by a private company to expedite getting a Certificate of Occupancy, provided it is a laboratory certified to perform and report the results of bacterial examination of water.  Trained laboratory personnel must actually go out to the home site, collect the sample for analysis and report laboratory test results as negative for bacterial contamination.  While a CO can be released before results are known, Public Health will also collect samples and send them to the State Laboratory of Public Health for analysis of nitrates and inorganic constituents.  Because high levels of nitrates can pose significant health risks for certain populations, it is good practice to wait for these results before using well water to make food or formula for infants and children.
• How to Disinfect a Well:

Contact the Environmental Health Office in Burgaw at (910) 259-1233 during the hours from 8:00a.m. to 9:00a.m. or 4:00p.m. to 5:00p.m.

If the permit was created through PORT, the information regarding the permit will be available for you to view online. If your permit was issued prior to April 30th, 2019, it is not available online.

Contact the Environmental Health Offices to obtain an existing permit that is not online:

• Burgaw: (910) 259-1233
• Hampstead: (910) 270-5000