Filing Complaints

The ​Department of Environmental Health maintains this website to facilitate easy access to environmental health resources, including information on how to file complaints directly with Consumer Protection, Hazardous Materials Compliance, or Solid Waste divisions.

 

What type of complaints does the Department of Environmental Health handle? 

Body Art
Drinking Water
Food Safety
Garbage and Trash
Noise Pollution
Onsite Wastewater Treatment/Septic
Stormwater Protection
Swimming Pools and Spas
Tobacco Permit Program

Body Art

Skin infections after getting a tattoo, improperly disinfected surfaces, lack of or missing non-sterile pads, practitioners not washing their hands, and unlicensed facilities and practitioners. 

Drinking Water

Unpermitted water connections for an individual (1 connection), shared (2-4 connections), or a state small water system (5-14 connections). 

We do not investigate

  • Concerns regarding unsafe drinking water associated with an individual, shared, or state small water system can request to have their water tested at one of the Valley Water Certified Laboratories.
  • Disputes regarding shared well water rights are a civil mater and not regulated by the department. 

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Food Safety

Retail food facilities, such as restaurants, bars, bakeries, and grocery stores that sell food and beverages directly to consumers. To report food poisoning, you may submit an online foodborne illness complaint formBe prepared to provide the information below. Please note, you will be directed to a different site to file your complaint. 

  • Food facility name and address;
  • ​​​Your name and phone number, including the names of others who ate with you;
  • ​​​​​A count of people that also became sick, including those that did not get sick; 
  • Information about your illness: the time you ate, the time you became ill, symptoms you experienced, and length of time your sickness continued;
  • List of all the food and beverages consumed by you and each person you were with; and 
  • Whether you saw a physician and if you have lab results.

We do not investigate

Anything unrelated to food safety, such as the level of service received, that type of complaint is not within our legal jurisdiction and should be directed to the food facility manager, owner, or corporate office.

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Garbage and Trash

Garbage in restaurants and residential or commercial lots in the unincorporated area of the county.

We do not investigate

Garbage in residential or commercial lots within city limits should be directed to the appropriate city code enforcement department.

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   Noise Pollution

​Excessive noise from commercial and residential sources within the unincorporated areas of the county. To report excessive noise, you may submit an online noise pollution complaint formPlease note, you will be directed to a different site to file your complaint. 

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Onsite Wastewater Treatment System/Septic

Adequate sewage disposal facilities provided where public sewer services are not available. 

  • Surfacing wastewater
  • Unpermitted installations

We do not investigate

Sanitary sewer overflow. areas connected to sanitary sewers should be directed to the sanitary district, appropriate city public works or code enforcement department.

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Stormwater Protection

We do not investigate

Illegal dumping or discharge into storm drains or creeks, unusual odor near a storm drain, and water leaks flowing into a storm drain. For more information, please visit the Clean Water Program's website​.​​ 

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 Swimming Pools and Spas

Public pools and spas (located at apartment complexes, condos, hotels and motels, health clubs, schools, community associations, commercials buildings, trailer and mobile home parks, clubs, campgrounds, and water theme parks) with issues, such as broken pool enclosures, missing safety equipment, or illnesses suspected of being contracted through the use of these swimming pools or spas.

We do not investigate

Neglected and unmaintained pools or spas are inspected for mosquito breeding issues by Santa Clara County Vector Control District. To report a neglected pool or spa, you may submit a District online service request, call 408-918-4770, or email [email protected].​  

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 Tobacco Permit Program

We investigate retailing tobacco products without a valid permit, sale of prohibited tobacco products or other violation of the Tobacco Retailer Permit Municipal Codes or Ordinances in any of the Unincorporated Areas of Santa Clara County, the Town of Los Gatos, City of Palo Alto, or City of Cupertino.

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