Environmental Health

Region 8's Bureau of Environmental Health promotes and protects the public's health through environmental regulation, inspection, investigation and education. Environmental Health personnel are available in each county to provide direct service to the public in the following areas:

 

Food Safety/ Restaurant Inspections

Restaurant Inspections

All food service facilities must have a valid permit from the department prior to serving food to the public. In addition to restaurants this includes schools, special event vendors, caterers, grocery stores, bakeries and delicatessens. We inspect all food service facilities; we issue permits to new businesses and offer food sanitation training for both new and existing facilities. For Plan Review of proposed new and remodeled facilities, follow the link below.

Beaufort County
1407 King Street, Beaufort
 (843) 525-7627
Bluffton Health Center
4819 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton
 (843) 757-6441Ext 118/122/120
Colleton County Health Department
219 S. Lemacks Street, Walterboro
(843) 549-2373 Ext 201
Hampton County Health Department
531 Carolina Ave, Varnville
(803) 943-3878 Ext 217
Jasper County Health Department
359 E. Wilson St. Ridgeland
 (843) 726-7792 Ext 225/226

Please follow this link for additional Food Protection information.

 

Private Well Water Sampling

The following Environmental Health Offices provide sampling containers and instructions for testing private well water.  There is a fee for the testing services provided by the DHEC laboratory.  Please see the link below for the tests that are available and the fee for such.

Beaufort County
1407 King Street, Beaufort
(843) 525-7627
Colleton County Health Department
219 S. Lemacks Street, Walterboro
(843) 549-2373 Ext 201
Hampton County Health Department
531 Carolina Ave, Varnville
(803) 943-3878 Ext 217
Jasper County Health Department
359 E. Wilson St. Ridgeland
 (843) 726-7792 Ext 225/237

Please follow this link for additional Private Well Water Sampling information.

 

Rabies

For reporting or assistance during normal business hours, please call one of the telephone numbers listed below.  After hours reporting may be done by calling the pager number listed below.  Information (if known) that will assist an investigation includes:  Name, address, and phone number of the victim; Name address and phone number of the animal owner (if any); description of the biting animal; location, date, and circumstances of the incident.  If the biting animal can be safely confined, then do so until further instructed by representatives of Environmental Health.

Beaufort County
1407 King Street, Beaufort
(843) 525-7627
FAX: (843) 525-6730
Bluffton Health Center
4819 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton
 (843) 757-6441Ext 122/113
FAX: (843) 757-6431
Colleton County Health Department
219 S. Lemacks Street, Walterboro
(843) 549-2373 Ext 201
FAX: (843) 549-6845
Hampton County Health Department
531 Carolina Ave, Varnville
(803) 943-3878 Ext 217
FAX: (803) 943-1067
Jasper County Health Department
359 E. Wilson St. Ridgeland
 (843) 726-7792 Ext 225
FAX: (843) 726-5320
Region Pager
 
 1-800-614-4698

Please follow this link for additional Rabies information.

 

Waste Water

All buildings occupied more than two hours per day must be served by an approved means of sewage disposal. Environmental Health permits and inspects septic tank systems to ensure proper sewage disposal where public sewer is not accessible. All proposed lots to be subdivided must have an approved means of sewage disposal.  It is recommended that you obtain a permit for a septic tank system prior to purchasing a prospective home site to insure it will meet your anticipated needs.  You may obtain additional information and a permit application form at the following link.  To obtain specific instructions on how to submit your application you should contact the Environmental Health office in the county in which the property is located.

Beaufort County
1407 King Street, Beaufort
 (843) 525-7627
Bluffton Health Center
4819 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton
 (843) 757-6441Ext 118/122
Colleton County Health Department
219 S. Lemacks Street, Walterboro
(843) 549-2373 Ext 201
Hampton County Health Department
531 Carolina Ave, Varnville
(803) 943-3878 Ext 217
Jasper County Health Department
359 E. Wilson St. Ridgeland
 (843) 726-7792 Ext 225/237

Please follow this link for additional On-Site Sewage Disposal information.

 

Vector Borne Illness

We encourage residents of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties to notify us if you find a dead crow or blue jay that appears to have recently died for no obvious reason. Also, if you should find a substantial number of dead birds in a cluster together that appear to have recently died for no obvious reason, please notify us. We will then evaluate if the bird needs to be sent to our lab in Columbia for testing.

Beaufort County
1407 King Street, Beaufort
(843) 525-7627
Bluffton Health Center
4819 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton
 (843) 757-6441Ext 118/122
Colleton County Health Department
219 S. Lemacks Street, Walterboro
(843) 549-2373 Ext 201
Hampton County Health Department
531 Carolina Ave, Varnville
(803) 943-3878 Ext 217
Jasper County Health Department
359 E. Wilson St. Ridgeland
 (843) 726-7792 Ext 225

Please follow this link for additional West Nile Virus information.