Board of Health

Millville Board of Health

8 Central St. Millville, MA 01529-0703

508-883-5041

Fax: 508-883-4464

Description of services offered by department:

Inspect and enforce regulations for: Food Establishments, Housing, Tobacco
Enforce Title 5 of the State Environmental Code: Examine sites, witness perk tests, issues certificates of compliances, and approve plans
Involvement with all wells, new septic systems, failures and repairs.
Respond to complaints regarding common housing or rental units, sanitary sewage disposal, hazardous materials/waste and solid waste disposal, air quality noises and nuisances
Issue all Health related permits
Monitor safety of drinking water, receiving reports, acting on reports of unsafe water
Infectious disease reporting, Rabies surveillance and specimen collection, Pandemic response planning

Hours of Operation: Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Meetings held each 1st & 3rd Wednesday 6:30 pm in the BOH office.

Members:

David Stanley, Chairman

Thomas Houle

Dustin Ciccarelli, Vice Chairman

Lenny Izzo- Health Agent

Inspector of Animals - Gary Fagan

Millville Board of Health Regulations

Body Art Regulations

Dumpster Regulations

Food Regulations

Keeping of Animals-Regulations

Mercury Disposal Regulations

Nuisance Regulations

Outdoor Wood Burning Furnace Regulations

Septic Regulations

Tanning Facilities Regulations

Tobacco Regulations

Tobacco Regulations-Youth

Well Regulations

The Millville Board of Health is Seeking Volunteers

Mercury Thermometer Exchange Program – Bring your mercury thermometers to the Board of Health office and receive a new digital thermometer as a replacement. Thermometers containing mercury are considered hazardous and cannot be disposed of in the trash.

The Board of Health is required to enforce the provisions of the State Sanitary Code, Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation. To obtain more information on your rights as a tenant or as a property owner please visit the links below:

Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

Landlord Rights and Responsibilities

Safe and Sanitary Housing

Housing Regulations

Failing septic systems:

Title 5 is the code of regulations that was developed for the design and construction of on-site sewerage disposal systems. The following are the basic steps to follow if you have a failed septic system.

To start, you will need to contract an engineer for the soils testing and septic system design.

Percolation testing can be done year round. There is a fee for this permit; applications are available online and in the Board of Health office. Once the percolation testing is complete, the engineer will design the septic system and submit the proposed plan to the Board of Health for review. Once the plan has been approved, you will choose a licensed installer to install the septic system. You will need to obtain a septic permit from the Board of Health. During the installation the installer will contact the Board of Health for inspections. Once complete, the engineer will provide as-built plans for the system showing the exact locations and elevations of the system components. The as-built plan is accompanied by a certificate of compliance that will be signed by the engineer, installer, and lastly the Board of Health.

The following links will provide useful information:

Septic System and Title 5 Information

Title 5 Inspectors

West Nile Virus:

WNV is a virus carried by mosquitoes that can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). WNV is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. You cannot get WNV through contact with a human or animal that has the virus. There is no evidence that a person can get the virus from handling live or dead infected birds. However, you should always use gloves when handling any dead animals and use double plastic bags to discard them in the trash.

Illness related to WNV is rare. Most people who are bitten by mosquitoes carrying the WNV will experience no symptoms or very mild symptoms. Mild symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches, often with skin rash and swollen lymph glands. Severe symptoms include high fever, muscle weakness, disorientation, neck stiffness, paralysis, coma, tremors, convulsions, and rarely death. There is no vaccine or cure for WNV. Everyone in areas with active virus is at risk of getting WNV, however persons greater than 65 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease.

Steps to prevent WNV:

The best way to protect yourself is to keep mosquitoes from biting you.

Avoid outdoor activities between dusk and dawn; this is when mosquitoes are most active. If you must be outdoors when mosquitoes are active, wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants.

Use a mosquito repellent that contains DEET and follow the directions on the label. DEET can be toxic if overused. Never use DEET on infants and do not apply repellents to the face or hands of children. Once inside, wash off insect repellents thoroughly with soap and water.
Fix any holes in your screens and be sure that they are tightly attached to doors and windows.
Dispose of or regularly empty any containers that may hold water (including trashcans) on your property.
Pay special attention to discarded tires. They are a common place for mosquitoes to breed.
Clean clogged roof gutters; remove leaves and debris that may prevent drainage of water.
Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use. Do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths; aerate ornamental ponds, or stock them with fish.
Keep swimming pools clean and properly chlorinated; remove standing water from pool covers.

Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP)

The CMMCP provides an integrated pest management approach to mosquito control, using mosquito surveillance, public education and other specialized techniques to limit pesticide usage and to reduce the potential for disease transmission and mosquito annoyance to the public. CMMCP personnel investigate complaints from residents about high adult mosquito population as well as regular surveillance of wetland areas. The results of an investigation may warrant the application of an insecticide to specific areas of town. Residents can check the website at www.cmmcp.org to determine when investigations are scheduled, or to request spraying. CMMCP can also be reached at 508-393-3055.If you find a dead bird call the Massachusetts Department of Public Health West Nile Virus Hotline at 1-866-627-7968.

Some useful links:

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH): www.mass.gov/dph

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP): www.mass.gov/dep

MDPH – Emergency Preparedness & Response: www.mass.gov/dph/emergencyprep

Food and Drug Administration: www.fda.gov

MassRecycle: http://www.massrecycle.org/

Proper Disposal of Medical Waste