Restaurants and other food service establishments must have a permit from Bond County Health Department (BCHD). Fees were established beginning July 1, 2013 for all Food Service Establishment permits. Fees are based on the Risk Category of the Establishment, or the type of Event, such as a Temporary Event which lasts 3 -14 days, or a Seasonal Establishment that operates less than 183 consecutive calendar days per year. Fees range from $150.00 per year for a Category 1 Food Service Establishment to $30.00 for a Temporary Event. Establishments with a permit are inspected one to three times per year, depending on their risk category. The Sanitarian looks for violations of the Food Service Sanitation Code. He reviews good food sanitation practices with the manager and explains how Code violations can be corrected.

Food service establishments that serve primarily elderly or pre-schoolers are classified as Category 1. Establishments whose food preparation involves multiple steps, especially cook-cool-reheat, are also in Category 1. All these must have a certified food sanitation manager on duty at all times food is being prepared.

Businesses that prepare food, but are not a Category 1, must have a certified food sanitation manager on staff.

Effective 7/1/14 the Illinois Food Service Managers Certification is now an 8 hour course. The 5 hour refresher course is no longer available. To renew your Managers Certification you will need to take an approved 8 hour course, take the exam, and pay your fee to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

New Food Handler training is now required for all restaurants effective July 1, 2014. Enforcement of this new requirement will begin January 1, 2015 for restaurants, and January 1, 2017 for non-restaurants. There are a number of on-line ANSI approved Food Handler courses which are 2 hours in length, and have a printable certificate which is good for 3 years. See the link below for the approved ANSI courses. Additional information concerning Food Handler training, and how it applies to specific establishments can be found in the IDPH Frequently Asked Questions which you can view from the link below. 

• CLICK HERE for ANSI Approved Food Handler On-line Courses.  
• My Food Service License

Temporary food serving activities must have a permit if the event lasts 3 – 14 days. The $30.00 permit fee must be paid at the time the application is submitted. If the Application for a Temporary Permit is submitted late, the permit fee is $50.00.

The Health Department investigates complaints from the public concerning possible violations.

In case of suspected foodborne illness:

Seek treatment as necessary. If symptoms persist or are severe (such as bloody diarrhea, excessive vomiting or high temperature), call the doctor.

Call the Health Department if the suspect food was served at a large gathering, from a restaurant or other food service facility, or if it is a commercial product.

Preserve the evidence. If a portion of the suspect food is available, wrap it securely, mark “DANGER” and refrigerate it. Save all the packaging materials, such as cans or cartons. Write down the food type, the date, other identifying marks on the package, the time consumed, and when the onset of symptoms occurred.

Find the most recent act here:  IL  Cottage Act

If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Environmental Health at (618) 664-1442, ext. 149.

To submit your registration application please email Kailah.hilmes@bchd.us or bring a copy to the Health Department with the registration fee.

Clean.

Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get on hands, cutting boards, knives, and countertops. Frequent cleaning can keep that from happening.

• Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
• Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food.
• Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten.
• Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.

Separate.

Cross-contamination is how bacteria spreads. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.

• Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.

Cook.

Even for experienced cooks, the improper heating and preparation of food means bacteria can survive.

• Make sure that meat, poultry, egg dishes, casseroles and other foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature.
• Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods. Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Only use recipes in which eggs are cooked or heated thoroughly.
• Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when re-heating.

Chill.

Bacteria multiply fastest at temperatures between 41F and 135F, so chilling food properly is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

• Chill leftovers and takeout foods within 2 hours. Keep the fridge at 41F or below and use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature.
• Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs and other perishables as soon as you get them home from the store.
• Never defrost food at room temperature. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, under cold running water, and in the microwave. Food thawed under cold running water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.

Private Sewage Disposal

Bond County Private Sewage Disposal System Ordinance .

Application for Private Sewage Disposal System Construction Permit .

Get a Permit Before Installing! You must have a permit from the Bond County Health Department before installing, replacing or modifying a private sewage disposal system. The permit fee is $75.00.

Planning to build? No public sewer system? Arrange a conference with your general contractor and sewage system installer to discuss the location of the sewage disposal system. Keep the system components away from the well and water line. If the system will drain treated water to the surface, avoid draining to the road ditch or to the neighbor’s property without written permission. Get a permit before construction begins.

If you have sewage water surfacing from your lateral field, or slow draining toilets or drains, or sewage odors, call a sewage system professional. He can determine whether your system needs routine servicing or major modifications. If water from your washing machine or shower or sink drains to a ditch or ground surface, that drain line must be altered to carry the water to the septic tank. Such modifications will require a permit from the Health Department.

In applying for the permit, the homeowner provides information about the property to be served by the system; the installer describes the system he plans to install. This allows the BCHD Sanitarian to confirm that the proposal conforms to the State Code and the County Ordinance. There is a permit fee.

Installation must not begin before a permit is issued. The Sanitarian visits the site during installation to confirm that the approved plan is followed.

BCHD investigates complaints about systems that are suspected of not adequately treating sewage. A written complaint with a description of the offending situation is helpful.

Maintain Your Sewage Disposal System
All sewage disposal systems require maintenance. Septic tanks should be pumped every three to five years, or more often if State Regulations require. Aerobic treatment units have mechanical parts; they should be serviced by a professional every six months.

Wastewater treated by an aerobic unit or a sand filter can be drained to the ground surface; but it must first be disinfected. Keep chlorine tablets in the chlorine dispenser at all times. Use chlorine tablets made for sewage disposal systems. Swimming pool tablets do not dissolve fast enough to provide the required amount of chlorine.

Conserve water to avoid overloading your system. Repair leaky faucets and toilets.

Don’t allow anyone to drive or park over your septic tank, sand filter, absorption lines, or any other part of your system.

Don’t poison your system by pouring harmful chemicals and cleaners down the drain. Harsh chemicals can kill the beneficial bacteria that treat your wastewater.

Don’t flush anything that doesn’t come out of your body, except toilet paper.

Privatewellclass.org provides a free online course that takes homeowners through educational material about their well and drinking water. Privatewellclass.org also provides free webinars and has free recordings on their website for homeowners and professionals. Please visit https://privatewellclass.org/ for more information! 

Bond County Water Well, Closed Loop Well, and Water Supply Ordinance .

Application for Construction of a Water Well .

Application for Construction of a Closed Loop Well .

Water wells are drilled by drillers licensed by the State of Illinois. A permit from Bond County Health Department is required for each well. The permit fee is $100. The driller must observe the required minimum distances from sewage disposal systems and other potential sources of contamination.

Closed Loop Wells used for Geothermal heating systems are drilled by drillers registered by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The permit fee is $100.00 for the first 10 holes and an additional $10.00 for every hole after the first 10 holes. The driller must observe the required minimum distances from sewage disposal systems and other potential sources of contamination.

Get a Permit Before Installing! You must have a permit from Bond County Health Department before installing, replacing, or modifying a Water Well or Closed Loop Well.

The owner of a new water well must submit a water sample for testing by the Illinois Department of Public Health lab. BCHD distributes sample bottles meeting the lab’s standards. Test results are interpreted by the BCHD Sanitarian. The Sanitarian will collect the water sample if the homeowner requests. The sample is usually taken from the inside faucet nearest the well.

BCHD encourages homeowners to have their well water tested annually, especially if there is or will be a young child in the household. Sample bottles are available from BCHD. The homeowner ships the sample by UPS or similar carrier to get the sample to the lab on the day after sampling.

The BCHD Sanitarian will inspect a well and obtain a water sample on request if there is a valid public health related reason.

The Bond County Health Department requests that any sickness caused by drinking well water in the county be reported to BCHD. Any known or observed instances of contaminating or polluting ground water should be reported.

Wells that are no longer used for supplying water and wells that are in a state of disrepair (broken well top, crumbling brick or concrete) should be sealed by a licensed well driller. A homeowner or farm owner can seal a well on property he lives on or farms after obtaining written permission from BCHD. The well sealing must be done in a manner allowed by the State Water Well Code.

 Nuisance Ordinance

The Bond County Nuisance Ordinance assigns the responsibility of enforcing the ordinance to the Bond County Health Department.

The Ordinance defines a nuisance as “any condition which may be offensive and detrimental to a person or his property or which may constitute a hazard to the health of any person.” It lists several situations that might be considered nuisances.

Complaints must be made in writing and signed by the complainant.

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