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Grand Prairie renames environmental office; department outlines water, mosquito control, waste and outreach programs
Summary
City officials said the environmental department is now "Public Health and Environmental Quality" and described daily drinking-water monitoring, monthly hydrant flushing (state requirement), mosquito-control guidance, household hazardous-waste collection and the Get Fit GP outreach program.
Grand Prairie officials said the city’s environmental unit has been renamed Public Health and Environmental Quality and outlined services ranging from food and childcare inspections to drinking-water monitoring and mosquito control.
"Drinking water is our highest priority," said Cindy Mendez, representing the department. Mendez said the office conducts permitting and inspections of retail food facilities, food manufacturers and warehousing, childcare centers, public pools and temporary food vendors at festivals.
On the environmental-quality side, Mendez said staff perform daily field checks on the city’s drinking water and monthly monitoring of stream segments, and they permit and inspect gas wells, industrial facilities and automotive shops. She said hydrant flushing and opening hydrants to clear dead ends are performed as a state requirement to maintain chlorine residual and water quality.
Mendez described mosquito control as a shared public-health and environmental task and advised residents on common prevention steps known as the "4 D's": defend (use EPA‑approved repellents such as DEET and protective clothing), limit outdoor activity at dawn and dusk, drain standing water around homes and utilize environmental measures. She also noted natural repellents and plants can reduce mosquito presence, but emphasized removing standing water from containers as the most effective household step.
The department collects household hazardous waste and provided guidance on latex-paint disposal and use of paint hardeners; it advised against putting hazardous chemicals down drains or in the landfill. Mendez also described Get Fit GP, a public-health outreach program that includes a monthly cycling event with the mayor (May through October) and other community wellness activities. The department will host a Mother's Day health fair at Asia Times Square on May 10 from 9 a.m. to noon, Mendez said.
Mendez named several staff members who conduct field sampling and inspections, including Bryce Goen, Caitlin Parker, Kyle Babena, Sherry Richardson, Warner Rodriguez, Jody Cason, Christopher Wilson and Eric Straw.
No regulatory changes or new city ordinances were announced during the segment.
