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Texas Department of State Health Services’ Role in TGPC
Texas Department of State Health Services Web site
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is responsible for promoting
and protecting the health and well-being of Texans. In the TGPC, the department is
concerned with groundwater safety and public health concerns.
Texas Fluoridation Program
The Texas Department of State Health Services’ Texas Fluoridation Program (TFP) has been helping Texans improve their oral health by reducing and preventing tooth decay by adjusting fluoride level in the Public Drinking Water Systems since 1979. The TFP promotes Community Water Fluoridation by assisting with the design, installation, maintenance, and inspection of fluoride systems. The program also monitors fluoride levels in drinking water for quality control.
Environmental & Injury Epidemiology and Toxicology Unit
The Unit uses the principles of epidemiology, toxicology, and surveillance to identify populations at risk, to develop evidence-based actions, and to protect and promote the health of the people of Texas.
Division for Regulatory Services, Radiation Control Program
The Texas Department of State Health Services’ Division for Regulatory Services, Radiation Control Program (RCP) regulates radioactive materials in Texas, including uranium recovery and radioactive waste disposal. The RCP monitors groundwater for radionuclides on a routine basis at several facilities. Intermittently the RCP will sample groundwater as a result of an incident, complaint, or situation which leads the RCP to believe there may be groundwater contamination.
Laboratory Services Section
The Laboratory Services Section laboratory preforms chemical and microbiological analyses for water quality testing. DSHS’ Laboratory Services Section accepts water samples for routine microbiological analysis from the public for a fee.
More information regarding the various groundwater protection programs within this agency can be found in the current version of the TGPC’s Joint Groundwater Monitoring and Contamination Report.
