HOLT, Fla., Dec. 31, 2020—The Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection cited Holt Water Works Inc. in October for failure to conduct a water sample test in July.

Holt Water is required to regularly monitor drinking water for specific contaminants to ensure drinking water remains within safety guidelines established by federal Environmental Protection Agency requirements.

The annual test was conducted Aug. 24 and the results were within acceptable EPA limits.

Holt Water’s previous sampling plan specified annual sampling to be done sometime during the “hot summer months” of July, August or September. A revised plan, changed in 2018, specified testing to be specifically done in July, something Holt Water didn’t do until August.

“Yes, we made a mistake,” said Donna Ash, Holt Water manager. “We tested like we were supposed to, we just tested in the wrong month.”

Unfortunately, because the test wasn’t conducted in the proper month, Holt Water had to take a number of steps to ensure its customers were aware of the mistake.

An informational form letter was sent by mail Dec. 18 to all water customers with information about the mistake. It is also available on the water website at holtwaterworks.org.

The letter outlines the test, what customers need to do (nothing), exactly what happened with the annual sampling test this year and how they will be contacted if there is ever a water emergency, such as a boil notice.

Holt Water has had very few write-ups by FDEP. And the two or more in the past have been minor, said Ash.

“In my 24 years of service, we’ve only had a couple of questions from customers about other samplings, mainly about chlorine,” said Ash. “We’ve never been written up for anything really bad.”

The result of the August test met the FDEP guidelines. Other than testing in the wrong month, everything is in compliance.

“There is nothing Holt Water customers need to do,” Ash said. “This is just an informational requirement to ensure everyone is aware of what happened and knows that it won’t happen again.”