News Local/State

Champaign-Urbana, Countywide Restaurant Inspections Online

 

After five years of discussion, the Champaign Urbana Public Health District launched a new tool this week that allows the public to see health inspection reports online.

Public health officials made the announcement quietly on Monday during a routine board meeting.

On the department’s website, the public can now search restaurants, schools, grocery stores and any location with an active food permit – to see a summary of health inspection results and reports dating back to 2008.

Environmental Health Director Jim Roberts said the more information the public has, the better able they are to make decisions on where they want to eat.

“You know if we just put up an inspection report or a score, which may vary from one jurisdiction to another, it is information, but it is very limited," he said. "This I think can help you make a decision because you have more information.'

Roberts says the new database covers inspections in both the county and Champaign-Urbana and is updated daily.

The move comes three years after CU-CitizenAccess began posting scores and reports of failed health inspections.