Environmental Division

"Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person, and all the related factors impacting behaviors. It encompasses the assessment and control of those environmental factors that can potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing disease and creating health-supportive environments. This definition excludes behavior not related to environment, as well as behavior related to the social and cultural environment, and genetics." - World Health Organization (WHO)

Division Responsibilities

The Environmental Division of the Tippecanoe County Health Department is charged with protecting public environmental health for all of Tippecanoe County including Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana.

Permitting & Inspections

This department oversees the permitting and inspection of residential and commercial on-site sewage disposal systems or septic systems. All newly constructed and repairs to existing septic systems require a permit from our department prior to the start of construction. Also, an inspection of the installation upon completion of the system is conducted by our staff. As a part of the inspection process, we maintain diagrams of residential and commercial septic systems installed after 1979.

Another part of ensuring proper disposal of residential waste water includes inspections of existing residential sewage disposal systems for real estate transactions. For information on proper permitting of septic system construction, guides for homeowners on maintaining and using your septic system, and information on having an existing system inspected for real estate transaction, browse through our site dedicated to Sewage Disposal.

Unsanitary Conditions

Environmental Division Staff are also involved in the correction of unsanitary conditions as they pertain to:

Methamphetamine Labs Frequently Asked Questions for Property Owners

What is Methamphetamine?: