Barnstable County health department asks for new lab staff and readies PFAS testing as private‑well demand rises

Erica Woods, interim director of the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, told the Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 15 that the department plans to expand laboratory staff and services to handle a growing volume of water and public‑health tests, including PFAS analysis for private wells.

Woods said the department projects $1.1 million in lab revenue for fiscal 2026, about $250,000 more than current projections, and asked commissioners to approve new positions to maintain turnaround times and quality control as demand increases. "We really feel that a full time laboratory assistant director would be beneficial to the whole operations of the laboratory," Woods said, describing the current laboratory director’s workload as “overburdened.”

The request comes as the county prepares an in‑house capability to analyze PFAS using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LCMS) acquired with ARPA funds. Woods said the lab has passed required proficiency tests; the remaining certification steps hinge on paperwork and a state site visit. Until that is complete the county continues to send PFAS samples out to contractor labs.

Why it matters: County staff said…