Overview
If you suspect that more than one person has become ill after eating a common food, please contact us. You can also log onto MyMealDetective.com to file an online foodborne illness report.
My Meal Detective is an online reporting system that allows you to file a foodborne illness report when events surrounding your illness are fresh on your mind. When you think something you ate made you sick (and possibly others), fill out all of the questions completely to capture as much information as possible to send to your local health department. The health department will examine your report, investigate if needed, and capture real-time information about what is going on in your community.
Food Service Facility Operations
The Prince William Health District regulates food service operations in restaurants, schools, childcare and adult care facilities, institutions, hospitals, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, youth athletic association food concessions, seasonal snack bars, parks, swimming pools, and temporary food facilities at fairs, festivals, carnivals, and other special events. Most of these facilities are required to meet the Virginia Food Regulations. Prince William County also has local regulations for Youth Athletic Association food concessions.
Food Service Facility Inspection
Food service inspections can be viewed on My Health Department. Scroll down to Prince William Health Department and Click View Inspections. The frequency of food service facility inspections is based on the menu and the types of foods served as well as the extent of the preparation and processing of those food items. This “risk assessment” is determined by the use of potentially hazardous foods (PHF), the preparation of raw versus ready-to-eat food items, storage, cooking, cooling, and re-heating. Potentially hazardous foods are those that require time and/or temperature control for safety (examples include meat, poultry, seafood, and most dairy products).
Food Service Facility Plan Review
All proposed food service facilities require a formal plan review and approval by the Health District. An application and $40 plan review fee are required for all submitted plan reviews. A separate submittal should be made directly to the Health District to expedite the review process. For more information download Food Service Plan Review Submittal Information.
Applications and Payments may be mailed to the following address or processed in-person during business hours:
Prince William Health District, 8470 Kao Circle Manassas, Virginia 20110-1702
Payment & Processing Information: Cash, Credit Card (Visa or Mastercard), or Check (Payable to Prince William Health District)
- $40.00 Food Establishment Permit Fee
- $40.00 Food Establishment Plan Review Fee
Food Service Complaints
- To file a food service complaint, call the Environmental Health Division at 703-792-6310 (option #1) between 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on normal business days and provide the complaint details.
- Local grocery stores and convenience stores are regulated by the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS).
- For more information regarding grocery stores and convenience stores, please call VDACS at 804-786-3520.
- The Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline can be reached at 800-552-9963 (Hearing Impaired: 800-828-1120).
The Prince William Health District inspects and annually permits more than 170 commercial swimming pools and spas. These pools are located at apartment and condominium complexes, local parks, hotels, motels, county clubs, and other private recreational clubs. Prince William County and the City of Manassas have local swimming pool regulations that primarily address water quality, pool patron safety, and pool operator training. Also, the state requires that the pool and spa water quality be tested and posted on a placard at the pool.
Commercial pool owners are required to pay an annual permit fee of $350. Commercial pools are required to have a professionally trained Certified Pool Operator on-site when the pool is in operation. Pool Operators are required to pay an annual $15 fee.
Proposed commercial swimming pool and spa construction plans require review and approval by the Prince William Health District.
Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds are inspected annually by the Health District, which enforces the state regulations that address these facilities.
- The Prince William Health District will also respond to complaints regarding these facilities as required according to Title 35.1. Hotels, Restaurants, Summer Camps, and Campgrounds.
- The new section, § 35.1-15.1, will require training of hotel employees, as defined in the chapter, and this training will be regulated by VDH through Chapter 431. Sanitary Regulations for Hotels.
- Human Trafficking Awareness for Hotels online training is available for hotel employees:
- Hotel operators will need to provide documentation that the appropriate employees have been trained through an approved training course or curriculum. It will be necessary to provide a list of applicable employees, their employment start date, when they completed the training, and documentation supporting the training completion (certificates, transcripts, etc.).
- The Prince William Health District inspects and permits food preparation facilities within daycare centers. Once a year, at the request of the Department of Social Services, the PWHD completes a general inspection of the entire facility.
- The PWHD will also respond to complaints regarding these facilities.
- Facilities with onsite water or septic are required to meet well and septic construction, occupancy, and facility use restrictions.
- Visit the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) Division of Licensing Programs for a list of additional resources.