OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITY
Section 23 of the Health Act identifies the responsibility of every Local Authority in New Zealand to ‘promote and conserve the public health within its district’. Environmental Health encompasses a range of activities aimed at protecting and improving the public health of communities.
“Environmental Health” therefore focuses on PEOPLE by promoting and endeavouring to conserve aspects of the environment that contribute to their health and well-being. It attempts to minimize or eliminate, by Regulatory or non-regulatory means, any adverse public health effects that human activities may have on the environment, which people by choice, or of necessity, interact.
Council's long term focus for environmental health activities is to ensure a safe living environment is maintained through the monitoring and enforcement of legislation, regulations and bylaws.
Functions include routine inspection and registration of food premises involved in the sale, manufacture, storage and transport of food to the public. The focus is to ensure all food consumed is of satisfactory quality, free from adulteration, wholesome and safe.
Wairoa District Council has one Environmental Health Officer, who is supported by administrative staff and is responsible for undertaking environmental health duties. The Environmental Health section is operated within the Regulatory Department of the Council. A vehicle and specialised equipment is provided for Environmental Health Control purposes. The Officer is rostered to be available on-call 24 hours each day for emergency response. The Officer otherwise deals with complaints on a daily basis, during normal work hours responding to and resolving a variety of health and bylaw related complaints.
EXISTING SITUATION
The Council’s Environmental Health Section can assist with the following matters:
FOOD HYGIENE
- Application to register a food business and related information
- Food hygiene training
- Complaints
WATER QUALITY
- Bacteriological / chemical sampling and advice
- Domestic Water Supplies (Info and Advice)
- Complaints or reporting contamination
COMPLAINTS / GENERAL INFO
- Noise
- Pollution (Air / Water / Land)
- Odour
- Rodents / Pests
- Sub-standard housing
- Sewage disposal
- Litter / fly dumping
To find out more about Environmental Health you can contact Victor Minter at Wairoa District Council on (06) 838 7309.
Further Environmental Health Info is published in the Adobe Reader format. You will need to install the Adobe Reader program on your computer in order to read them. If you do not already have the Adobe Reader installed you can download it from the Adobe website.
Application for New Health Licence
Establishing a Food Business
Community Food Stall Information
Noise Control
Declaration for Return of Property Seized Form
Community Drink-Water Supplies
Wairoa Community Water Supply Grading
Certificate of Registration – Agriquality Proficiency Program
Basic requirements for registering commercial food premises
