Environmental Health Brian Hanft

My name is Brian Hanft and I would like to welcome you to our web site, where we hope you will learn more about Environmental Health and other Public Health services. My education includes a bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa with an emphasis in Environmental Science. I also have a master's degree in Public Administration from Drake University. I previously worked for the Black Hawk County and Polk County Health Departments for nine years.

Our Environmental Public Health staff includes six professional health inspectors who work year-round to protect all environmental public health standards for our residents.

Environmental Public Health encompasses a vast discipline of professions including air quality, water pollution control, safe drinking water, noise pollution, radiation, food safety, industrial hygiene, childhood lead poisoning prevention, healthy housing, solid waste management, vector control, onsite liquid waste disposal, and many others.

Environmental Public Health, or sanitation, has been the backbone of public health since modern civilization began. Scholars recognized the importance of channeling human waste away from their living quarters even before modern medicine was introduced. They were able to see a connection between contaminated wells and higher rates of illness. Malaria was related to "bad air" or night air, which we now know is attributed to mosquitoes.

Environmental Public Health continues to change with the times. Since the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, environmental public health has been thrust into new realms of reality. Words that were once almost unheard of, such as "bioterrorism" and "disaster preparedness," are now common among public health officials and Environmental Public Health is bringing new issues to the planning table.

Public Health agencies, including the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health, are preparing emergency plans for bioterrorism and other disasters.

If we can assist you in any way, please contact our Environmental Health staff.

Environmental Health Ordinances

Inspection Services

Inspection Services | Food Service Inspections | Tanning Facilities | Tattoo Parlors
Swimming Pools | Hotel and Motel Inspections | Body Piercing

License Applications
License Applications

Environmental Services / Education
Transient Non-Community Water Supplies | Service Regions | Septic System Information
Mosquito Information | Healthy Homes (Radon, Lead, Water Testing) | Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention | Food Safety | Tanning Safety | Water Well Information | Well Testing

Flood Clean Up Information

If we can assist you in any way, please contact our Environmental Health staff.