FAQ

A. Private well water should be tested a minimum of once per year. Drinking water supplies obtained from shallow wells and surface water sources should be tested more frequently (i.e., seasonally), as they are more susceptible to contamination.
It is important to test your drinking water at the tap and at the source. Testing both will help you determine if your water treatment system is performing correctly and if the quality of your source water has changed.

A. The law states that test results are valid for one year from the date of testing if they are associated with the sale of the property. (OAR 333-061-0325 (7)).

A. The only way to tell if your drinking water is safe is by having it tested at a certified laboratory. Harmful bacteria, parasites, and viruses are invisible to the naked eye, so water that looks and tastes good may not necessarily be safe to drink. These microbes can exist in surface and groundwater supplie and can cause immediate sickness in humans if not properly treated.
Certain chemical contaminants that are sometimes found in a water source can cause long term health problems that take years to develop. Frequent water testing will decrease the risk by identifying unsafe water and ensure that the treatment system is treating the water to a satisfactory level.

A. Human consumption means water used for drinking, personal hygiene, bathing, showering, cooking, dishwashing, and maintaining oral hygiene.

A. For information regarding testing of your water for personal use, contact your county health department. For Real Estate transactions, tests for Arsenic, Nitrate, and Coliform Bacteria are required in accordance with Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR 333-061-0305 to 333-061-0335).

See also:

• Contact your local health department
• Oregon Well Water Testing

A. Residents of Washington County can contact their local Environmental Health Program. Sampling, inspecting and testing of your well can be conducted through our program or we can refer you to a certified laboratory in your area. Some communities offer free screenings, through extension services, called "Test Your Well" events.

A. No. There are a number of online courses that say, or imply, they are approved in Oregon but are not. Check the list at the Department of Human Services Foodborne Prevention Program before taking your test online. http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/foodsafety/cert.shtml

A. To obtain a replacement for your Food Handler's card, you will need to contact the Environmental Health Program where you orginally took your test. The cost is $5.00 and a valid photo ID is required.

A. Study the Food Handler Manual and take the test. A passing score is 75% or higher.

A. Food service workers are required to obtain a Food Handler's card within 30 days of beginning work. "Food Handler" means those persons involved in the perpartion or service of food in a restaurant or food facility licensed under ORS 624.020 or 624.320. This includes, but is not limited to, cooks, wait staff, dishwashers, bartenders, and bus persons.

A. The card is valid for three years from the date of issuance throughout the state.

A. It costs $5.00 to take the Food Handler's test and another $5.00 when you have passed to receive your card. The total cost is $10.00. The card is valid statewide for three years.

A. Before taking the Food Handler's Certification test, you should study the Food Handler's manua. The manual is available at these locations or online. The manual is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, and Korean.

A. Oregon State law requires that restaurants have a designated "Person in Charge" (PIC) onsite during all hours of operation who can provide a "Demonstration of Knowledge" of the Oregon Food Code, including knowledge of foodborne disease prevention, application of Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) and the requirements in the food rule.

The Person in Charge may meet the demonstration of knowledge requirment in one of these ways:
  1) Being a certified food protection manager who has successfully
passed a test as part of an acredited program recognized by
the Oregon Department of Human Services.
  2) Correctly answering qeustions posed by the inspector.
  3) Compliance with the rule as exhibited by no critical
violations.
For more information about these rules, go to the State of Oregon's Fooborne Illness Prevention Program at www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/foodsafety/mngcert.shtml.

A. Food Handler manuals are avilable at Washington County's Evironmental Health office located in Hillsboro. The city libraries of Tigard, Hillsboro, and Beaverton have manuals available which can be checked out. Food Handler manuals are available for in-library use at the City Of Tualitin Library, City of Forest Grove Library, and several of the high school libraries in Washington County. You can also read the manual online or download it.

A. You can take the test in the office or at the following locations.

A. In Oregon, Food Manager Certification is not requried by law. However, a Food Manager Cerfification Course can provide the information necessary to keep your food facility safe. Washington County Environmental Health Program offers training and certification. Food Manager Certificaton satisfies the Oregon Food Code, is valid for five years and also satisfies the Food Handler Certification.