Anticipated Changes To Agency Customer Base

Food establishment owners:
The number of permitted food establishments tends to increase at a rate slightly greater than that of the general population, due in part to an increasing tendency of Virginians to eat food prepared outside the home and in part to an increase in establishments catering to tourists, such as hotels and temporary events.
The trend towards increased ethnic diversification of food establishments will continue. Potential language barriers and different ethnic views of proper food handling increase the risk of foodborne outbreaks and increase the burden on local health departments to ensure that the owners and food managers understand and comply with pertinent regulations.
The trend towards an increased presence of chain food establishments will also continue. Chains typically require more standardized food safety training and standards of their owned and franchised restaurants. They are also more likely to use common food suppliers, increasing the risk of foodborne outbreaks involving multiple establishments.
These changes will not occur uniformly throughout the Commonwealth, with overall increased growth and diversification concentrated in the fastest growing areas.

Owners of private wells and/or onsite sewage disposal systems:
Private wells and onsite sewage systems exist in virtually all jurisdictions in the Commonwealth.
As the number of households and the demand for more onsite sewage disposal systems increase, the availability of soils capable of supporting traditional onsite sewage disposal will be reduced. Parcels of land with favorable potential for onsite sewage disposal systems will become less common.
Alternative systems allow for onsite waste treatment on properties that cannot support a traditional sewage disposal system. As the cost of alternative sewage disposal systems has decreased in relation to the value of properties in many parts of the Commonwealth, the proportion of new onsite system permits utilizing alternative technologies will continue to grow. This is particularly true in regions of the Commonwealth with high property values and relatively poor suitability for onsite sewage disposal systems.
The increased availability of alternative systems decreases the demand for centralized sewerage in many communities.

Citizens exposed to a potentially rabid animal:
Rabies is endemic in Virginia and can be carried by a variety of animals, such as bats, raccoons, cats, dogs, skunks, and foxes. The types of animals involved in potential human exposures differ by region and by population density.
People can be infected with rabies through contact with infected secretions from a rabid animal. Since 1998, two Virginians have died from rabies.
Reports of potential exposures to rabid animals occur in every major jurisdiction and affect every age group.
The cost of vaccination in persons potentially exposed to rabies poses a significant financial burden on these citizens and significant distress on those affected and their families.

Other governmental agencies:
VDH provides and receives environmental health information to and from a wide variety of governmental agencies at the state, federal and local levels. It is anticipated that this interdepartmental coordination will increase to better meet the needs of Virginia’s citizens.
VDH works with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) on milk plant issues, West Nile virus and other vector concerns, and food safety. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) partners with the Health Department on environmental health issues that come under their jurisdiction, such as wastewater treatment, water quality, and groundwater protection.
VDH works with such federal agencies as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on such issues as food protection, water contamination, and milk plants, respectively.
VDH also works with local governments throughout the Commonwealth to ensure that their citizens’ food, well water, and pools are safe and clean.

Plants that distribute Grade A milk and milk products:
There are 12 permitted milk plants in Virginia.
It is anticipated that the number of permitted facilities will continue to remain low.

Licensed well drillers, contractors, engineers, and soil evaluators:
The number of licensed well drillers, contractors, and engineers will continue to increase as the demand for new housing grows and as the number of new alternative and experimental onsite sewage disposal systems increases.
It is expected that the number of authorized onsite soil evaluators (AOSEs) will grow significantly as this training program expands.

Hotels, summer camps, campgrounds swimming pools and migrant labor camps:
The number of hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts and campgrounds are increasing as more and more tourists and businesses find Virginia an attractive setting for conferences and vacations.
Swimming pools are increasing in number and complexity. As more planned communities with integrated amenities are becoming increasingly popular, it is expected the number of public swimming pools requiring permits and inspection will also rise. Swimming parks with complicated water attractions are also on the rise due to their popularity with Virginians.
It is expected that the number of summer camps will increase as more working parents find summer camps an excellent source of daycare for their children out of school during the summer.
The increased number of immigrants and the need for inexpensive labor is fueling the increase in the number of migrant labor camps in Virginia.

Public affected by foodborne illnesses, contaminated private wells, or failing septic systems and other environmental health hazards:
Everyone who lives in or visits Virginia is potentially served by VDH’s restaurant and food safety programs, by its well and septic permitting, and by its other environmental health services.
VDH expects the general public and business customer base to continue to increase over the next few years, as the number of people eating at permitted food establishments and drinking private well water continues to grow.
The potential for onsite sewage disposal system malfunctions will increase due to the increased population being served by these systems.
Compared to traditional onsite systems, alternative wastewater systems have an increased risk of failure if not properly operated and maintained.
The number of Virginians affected by foodborne illnesses will continue to rise. Many bacteria and other contaminants are associated with specific foods, such as E. coli O157:H7 with hamburgers or Salmonella with eggs. The concentration of meat and other food production and processing into high volume farms and factories increases the risk that food will become contaminated and that such contamination will impact a larger number of food establishments. Effective and appropriately timed inspections are key to enforcing safe food handling and preparation practices that minimize the risk that such foods will remain contaminated by the time they reach the consumer or that initially safe foods will become contaminated during the food preparation process.
• As the general public base grows, the population density increases and local districts make it easier to file a citizen complaint via the internet, the quantity of complaints received will increase.