Environmental Services Division

The goal of the Environmental Health Division is to maintain and improve the health of the public through regulation of public facilities, food safety inspections, safe wastewater disposal, investigating nuisance complaints, health hazards, environmental complaints, and enforcement of rules and regulations.

What We Do

The Environmental Services Division is responsible for:

  • Food safety – inspection and permitting of restaurants, bars, school kitchens, mobile food vendors, food vendors at special events, and other venues at which food is prepared for and served to the public
  • Investigation of food-borne complaints – education of food service workers instructing them in basic food safety and personal hygiene principles
  • Public accommodations – inspection of hotels, motels, and other nightly rental facilities to ensure clean and sanitary conditions exist
  • Bathing places – inspection of public and semi-public pools to prevent unsafe water quality conditions that could lead to disease transmission
  • Children and youth camps – inspection of camps to minimize unsafe conditions and promote healthful conditions at the camp
  • Public nuisance complaints – investigate complaints and enforcement of rules to eliminate unsanitary conditions
  • Wastewater – review of plans, permitting, and inspections of septic tank systems or other onsite sewage disposal systems
  • Environmental complaints – investigate complaints and enforce rules to eliminate environmental nuisances

Accommodations

Apache County Public Health Services District inspects public accommodations at least once per year to assure compliance with Arizona State Health Department regulations. Inspection of these facilities includes the grounds, bedding, food service, drinking water and ice, water supply, refuse storage and disposal, bathroom, sewage disposal, insect and vermin control, ventilation, safety equipment, and venting of gas appliances.

We also issue permits to public accommodations facilities.

Food Service Establishment Licenses

The process for opening a food service establishment begins with submitting an application for a food service license. Please include the following:

  • Thorough plans, including detailed drawings
  • A complete menu
  • Fee payment

We will review the application based on the Food Code and require you to correct any deficiencies before commencing construction. Once the plan is in full compliance, we will issue a letter of authorization. We will perform at least one inspection before issuing the license to operate. Forms, applications, and fee schedules are available on this page.

Smoke-Free Arizona Program

The Smoke-Free Arizona Act prohibits smoking in most indoor public places. Learn more at Smoke-Free Arizona.

Wastewater Applications

To obtain a valid septic permit and construction authorization, submit a Notice of Intent to Discharge together with thorough plans, detailed drawings, site evaluation data, and the appropriate fee payment. We will conduct a minimum of two inspections during construction. Upon satisfactory completion of construction, the applicant must submit a Request to Discharge for approval.

  • Wastewater permits – license the planning and construction of on-site wastewater systems through plan reviews and inspections
  • Aquifer protection – ensure groundwater is protected by enforcement of state law and administrative rule

ADEQ Liaison Program

ADEQ’s Community Liaison Program brings advocacy and service to rural Arizona by placing knowledgeable and helpful staff where they can be closer to the communities they serve and have more frequent, direct contact with customers.

FAQs

Below is a list of frequently asked questions and answers regarding environmental health, including general questions and those related to septic, wastewater, and code compliance. The answers often include the link to Arizona’s Revised Statutes (ARS), Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), or Arizona Administrative Code (AAC).

What restrictions do I have on my property?

Apache County Public Health Environmental Division follows Arizona State law and administrative code. There are currently no additional county environmental ordinances or zoning. Additionally, you may have conditions, covenants, and restrictions (CC&Rs) or deed restrictions if you belong to a subdivision, property owners’ association, or homeowners’ association that may have additional restrictions on your property. The county does not interpret or enforce private CC&Rs.

County zoning regulations and building ordinances are handled by Apache County Community Development. Please contact them at 928-337-7526 for zoning information.

Can I stay on my property temporarily without a septic system?

Maybe. The State of Arizona and the Apache County Public Health Environmental Division do not have any restrictions on temporary use of a property as long as you are not creating an environmental health hazard on your property. Environmental health hazards would include improper disposal of wastewater (black water & gray water) and solid waste, as well as the presence of putrescence (rotting food, waste, or animals). However, the Apache County Community Development may have ordinances concerning this issue.

Additionally, your property may have deed restrictions that restrict temporary use of the property. It is the property owner’s responsibility to verify restrictions with the other organizations before using the property.

What is the difference between black water and gray water?

Black water is wastewater from a toilet, kitchen sink, or dishwasher, and any water contaminated by feces. Gray water is all non-feces contaminated wastewater from fixtures that are not black water (i.e., shower or bath water, hand sinks, and clothes washer). Gray water may be reused on your property if it is not stored, does not pool on the surface, and is not used to water edible plants. See the ADEQ website for more information.

What is a septic system?

Per Arizona Administrative Code 18-09, a septic system is an on-site wastewater treatment facility—a conventional septic tank system or alternative system installed at a site to treat and dispose of wastewater, predominantly of human origin, generated at that site.

Do I need a septic system, or are there other alternatives that I can use?

Yes! Some systems may include a septic tank and trenches, while others may include alternative technologies, but they are all considered on-site wastewater treatment facilities. All on-site wastewater treatment facilities being installed require a permit. Apache County Public Health Environmental Division has delegated authority from the State of Arizona, granting the county jurisdiction to permit only certain types of on-site wastewater treatment technologies. All other technologies must be permitted through ADEQ. Each technology has its own regulations and limitations as to its use and must be considered and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. A professional uniform site investigator will assist you in choosing the proper technology for your needs (AAC 18-09). Contact Apache County Public Health Environmental Division at 928-337-7607 for more information.

Do I need a septic system to get a building, power pole, or solar permit?

All building, power pole, and solar permits are handled by Apache County Community Development. Please contact them at 928-337-7526.

Do I need a permit to install a septic system/compost toilet/privy?

Yes. Apache County requires a permit for all on-site wastewater treatment facilities installed on a property in Apache County, even when used as a temporary or stopgap technology.

Can I install my wastewater treatment system myself?

Yes! You can install your own wastewater treatment system, but the system must be designed by a professional who meets the training requirements from ADEQ. This design process is called the uniform site investigation and is commonly referred to as the perc test. However, there is so much more involved than just a perc test.

What is the perc test, and can I do the perc myself?

The percolation test is a commonly used term referring to the uniform site investigation. This investigation may include describing the property’s surface and subsurface characteristics, soil composition, proposed home and water usage, legal setbacks, and many other things that must be considered when designing an appropriate permanent on-site wastewater treatment facility.

The uniform site investigation must be conducted by a professional who meets the training requirements from ADEQ. Some temporary or stopgap technologies, when used as standalone technology, do not require a uniform site investigation to get a permit. Contact Apache County Public Health Environmental Division at 928-337-7607 for more information.

What is an environmental code violation?

Anything that creates an environmental health hazard or health nuisance on someone’s property (AAC R18-13-303 to 304).

  • Improper disposal of wastewater (unlawful dumping of sewage on/in/under property, failed wastewater treatment facility, or improper use of gray water
  • Presence of putrescence (rotting food, waste, or animals)
  • Breeding of vermin or vectors (pests such as mice and rats or flies and mosquitoes)
  • Improper disposal of solid waste (uncontained or blowing trash)
What is not an environmental code violation?

Anything that does not create an environmental health hazard on your property:

  • Ugly or unattractive buildings or cluttered properties
  • Unpermitted buildings, structures, or RVs
  • Ugly or unattractive automobiles, trucks, and recreational vehicles that are not leaking fluids
  • Nuisances and/or noisy activities
  • Violation of CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions) and/or deed restrictions
  • Weeds in the ditch along the right-of-way
  • Legally parked vehicles along the public right-of-way
Can something be a county code violation without being an environmental code violation?

Yes! There can be county zoning or building violations that are not environmental code violations. These violations should be reported to Apache County Community Development at 928-337-7526.

Is an unpermitted or abandoned building, structure, or RV an environmental health hazard?

No. While it is true that unpermitted or abandoned buildings, structures, or RVs may be hazardous, they do not constitute an environmental health hazard. Apache County Public Health Environmental Division does not have any authority over structures or anything inside structures. All building-related regulations and building ordinances are handled by Apache County Community Development. Please contact them at 928-337-7526.

Can the county come onto my property if there is a complaint?

It depends. If the property is reasonably believed to be occupied, our environmental inspectors must try to obtain consent from an on-site representative before conducting an inspection. If no one is available on-site, the inspector may proceed with the inspection if it is determined safe and reasonable. Inspectors have the right to proceed with the inspection if there is reason to believe there is a threat to human health or the environment.

If the on-site representative refuses entry, the inspector must vacate to a public right-of-way. If no trespassing signs are present, the inspector may enter the property to obtain consent but must leave the property if consent cannot be obtained.

Apache County Public Health Environmental Division can obtain a court order to enter a property if there is strong evidence that there is a threat to human health or the environment if entry is denied, refused, or cannot be obtained for any other reason (ARS § 49-144). Please email us or call 928-337-7639 for more information.

Environmental Services Division Contact

Please send us an email at environmentaldivision@apachecountyaz.gov, or give us a call at 928-337-7607.