Within the boundaries of the County of Santa Cruz there are numerous livestock, ranching and horse operations of varying size. There are also many rivers, creeks, streams and wetland resources. Both Santa Cruz County and the State of California have laws that are designed to protect water from contamination by animal waste, and from silt that results from erosion. There are also laws to promote “good neighbor” practices. When information is received that an animal facility is not implementing practices to keep water clean and prevent nuisance, Environmental Health will do inspections of the site and prescribe improvements as necessary.
If you believe a property owner is not sufficiently protecting water resources and/or creating an odor or fly nuisance, you can file a complaint with Environmental Health and an inspector will assess the situation.