Environmental Public Health and Engineering
Main Number
As a key component of public health, Environmental Public Health (EPH) and Engineering focuses on preventing and controlling human diseases caused or impacted by our environment in accordance with the mission “to detect and prevent disease caused by natural and manmade factors in the environment” (Florida Statutes (FS) 381.006).
Environmental health professionals work to prevent disease and create environments that promote well-being, fostering healthy, and safe communities by ensuring the safety of what we eat, breathe, touch, and drink. This includes monitoring and evaluating physical, chemical, biological, and social factors in the environment like environmental toxins, bacterial concentrations, and human health impacts due to natural disasters such as hurricanes. All activities are conducted as per the legal authority granted in FS 145, 381, 386, 514 and Florida Administrative Codes Chapters 64E-series, 62-550, and 62-6.
Quick Links
Pay your fees and print your permit online
Review an inspection for our programs
Report a food or waterborne illness
Report an unsafe or unsanitary condition in a restaurant, caterer, or mobile food unit
Report an indoor air quality complaint for an apartment, condominium, or hotel
Our Programs
- Beach Monitoring
- Biomedical Waste
- Generators
- Transporters
- Treatment Facilities
- Sharps Disposal Programs
- Body Piercing
- Fixed Location
- Temporary
- Drinking Water
- Safe Drinking Water Act
- SuperAct Program
- Public and Private Wells
- Emergency Response
- Hurricanes
- Flooding
- Food Hygiene
- Group Care
- Schools
- Residential Facilities
- Indoor Air
- Migrant Farmworker Housing
- Mobile Home Parks
- OSTDS
- Swimming Pools, Spas and Public Bathing Places
- Sanitary Nuisances
- Tanning
- Tattooing
Our Partners
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
South Florida Water Management District
Our Contact Information
If you have questions about EPH programs, please see contact information below.
Environmental Public Health Offices
Main-Golden Glades Office
1725 NW 167th Street Miami, FL 33056
Phone: (305) 623-3500
Emergency After Hours: (305) 324-2400
Office Hours: M-F 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Email: MiamiDadeEH@flhealth.gov
Septic Tank Office
PIC Center: 11805 SW 26 ST Miami, FL 33175
Phone: (786) 654-6620
Email: HRSDOH@flhealth.gov
Office Hours: M-F 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Samir M. Elmir, PhD, PE, BCEE, CEHP
Division Director
Environmental Public Health and Engineering
Dr. Elmir has served for 35 years within the Florida Department of Health in Miami Dade County, the largest county health department in Florida. He has served as the principle environmental public health communicator for FDOH in Miami Dade County, communicating health risk assessments associated with drinking water wells potentially linked to failing septic tank systems, key contributor to the Miami Dade County Government Report “Vulnerability of Septic Systems to Sea Level Rise Directive Number 162242” blue-green algae and red tide blooms affecting surface water bodies including canals and Biscayne Bay, beach advisories, boil/bottled water orders, mosquito borne disease advisories, etc. Dr. Elmir has also provided lectures focused on Public Health Risk Communications Principles and Practices. He has maintained an active research program focused on the evaluation and management of all potential point and non- point sources impacting the microbial water quality in recreational waters located in tropical and subtropical environments. Dr. Elmir has been a principal author and co-author in tens of peer-reviewed publications on the theme of microbial contamination of tropical waters. He has been a licensed professional engineer in state of Florida since 1993, a certified Diplomat with the American Academy of Environmental Engineers – certified in water and wastewater system designs and operations and is a graduate of the 2006- 2007 Class of the Florida Engineering Leadership Institute.
Connect with DOH