County posts public notice after missed water-sampling tests; official says oversight was her responsibility

Northampton County's Public Works department told commissioners it posted a public notice after missing required disinfection-byproduct sampling for one water system earlier this year.

Miss Turner, Public Works, said the county is required to take two disinfection-byproduct samples each quarter (for trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids). In 2025 the county took six samples instead of the required eight because a laboratory changeover led to an oversight in scheduling. "Out of sight, out of mind is what it was, but, ultimately, it is my fault," Turner said, accepting responsibility for the missed samples.

Turner said the county is back in compliance and that the samples taken showed no detections for the contaminants of concern. She told commissioners staff have implemented an internal calendar to avoid relying solely on outside labs for scheduling and that the public notice with pertinent information is posted on the county website.

Commissioners asked whether there was any water-quality issue; Turner and the chairman confirmed there were no quality exceedances detected and the violation was a monitoring/sampling reporting matter. Turner said consumer confidence reports will be completed and posted as required later in the spring.

The board received the report; no formal vote or penalty action was recorded at the meeting.