Henry County Board of Health receives update on Mt. Union

BY BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

With shut-off valves now installed at a handful of Mt. Union residences, it?s the job of Henry County?s Environmental Health Specialist, Jodi Sutter, to ensure environmental health practices are still adhered to at those properties.

Giving her regular environmental health report during Tuesday?s Henry County Board of Health meeting, Sutter did assure the board that her office has been working diligently to make sure that the five Mt. Union homes, where shut-off valves have been placed, continue to adhere to Iowa codes concerning public and environmental health.

?There is one property I was informed of where they have moved a camper on-site to stay in, and so I will be going over there soon to make sure there are no pipes hanging out from that camper, discharging any untreated waste into the environment,? said Sutter.

Furthermore, Sutter reported that besides the home that has brought a camper on-site, it seems as though the other four residences have been vacated.

?Most of the houses where the shut-off valves have been placed seem to be owned by folks that have more than one property in town or somewhere else to stay,? she said.

According to Sutter, any residence that is proven to be discharging untreated sewage into the environment would result in the owner of that property being charged a fine for every day the health violation continued.

?I will still be watching what goes on with this,? Sutter concluded. ?The bottom line is that we just want to ensure health codes are being followed for everyone?s safety and well-being.?

Besides an update on Mt. Union-related business, the board turned its attention to the topic of lead testing. According to Henry County Community Health Director, Travis Johnson, the county has seen a spike in the number of high lead levels in local children.

?In the last 12 months, we have had four cases opened due to high lead levels,? Johnson reported. ?At one time not too long ago, we went three years in a row with maybe one case. So, even though we don?t have an overwhelming amount of cases, I think this recent spike is a good indicator that our lead testing grant program is still relevant and useful to our county.?

According to Johnson, all Iowa children must be tested for high lead levels at least once before starting school. However, Johnson says he recommends children get tested as one-year-olds, 18-month-olds, and then again at two years of age to better ensure any possible issues are identified quickly.

?The reason we recommend multiple screenings is because, for whatever reason, we seem to see more cases of high lead levels at that 18 months age range,? said Johnson.

According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) report, children who are repeatedly exposed to high levels of lead have increased risks for damage to the brain and nervous system, and slowed growth and development.

The same report also indicates that high lead exposure can often occur at greater rates in homes built before 1978, as lead-based paint and pipes are often incorporated into the construction of these older homes.

According to Johnson, once a child reaches the age of three and has not tested positive to high lead levels, testing is usually no longer recommended. Should high levels of lead be found in a child, however, public health officials work with the child?s parents to remove the lead exposure and/or pinpoint where the child may be coming into contact with high doses of lead.

Every fiscal year, the county?s public health department requests to be a part of the state?s lead testing grant program. In the past, the county has received approximately $5,000 to $6,000 from the grant program to be used within the county for lead testing. After hearing the spike in high lead cases, the board agreed that continued participation in the lead program was wise.

Before adjournment, the board also reviewed the fiscal year 2017 emergency preparedness grant.

The date, time and location of the next Henry County Board of Health meeting will be announced at a later date.