The Water Pollution Services Division is funded primarily through contract money from individual cities within the county. These funds are used to meet the requirements of the Health and Safety Code that requires a water pollution and abatement program in cities with populations greater than 5,000. The County also contributes a portion of the funding to allow services to extend to the unincorporated areas in the county as well. Some short term project grants are also carried by the water section to identify and address certain water pollution problems within the county jurisdiction.

Services provided:

• Waste water sewage treatment plant inspections for compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Stormwater sampling of open water systems around the county. This includes specific locations along drainage ditches, creeks, bayous, sites around the bay, and the beachfront in Galveston.
• Investigate and answer citizen complaints regarding water pollution issues. Some of these might include:
  • Sewage overflows
  • Potential illegal materials dumping on land
  • Illicit piping to waterways
  • Mysterious discolorations of water systems
• Greasetrap Inspections of food establishments. This includes unannounced inspections of establishments to review maintenance records and the overall condition of the grease trap.