CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — New documents obtained by KRIS 6 News reveal a more extensive pattern of potential violations at the Nueces River Authority (NRA) than previously reported, with approximately 40% of water sampling forms submitted in 2024 either bearing signatures of unlicensed individuals, employees who had resigned, or signed by people who did not actually collect the samples.
An analysis of microbial reporting forms obtained through open records requests from the City of Corpus Christi and employment records from the NRA shows that 41 of 103 forms submitted in 2024 were problematic — either submitted by individuals who lacked required licenses to collect drinking water samples, individuals who no longer worked at the authority, or contained signatures of individuals who did not actually collect the samples.
The findings come as the Nueces County District Attorney's Office reviews 38 criminal cases of tampering with government documents against the agency's former Quality Assurance Officer, as KRIS 6 News first reported last week.
The documents show Executive Director John Byrum's name appears as the sampler on 25 forms between June 26 and August 26, 2024, for multiple water systems including the cities of Driscoll, Premont, Poth, and Jourdanton, as well as Fowlerton Water Supply Corporation and McMullen County water districts. A former NRA employee is listed as the courier on these forms.
Byrum previously told KRIS 6 News that he does not collect water samples while working at the Nueces River Authority. "No, I do not," Byrum said when asked if he personally collects samples. "I have a water and wastewater license and have done that in the past, but not here at the NRA." He described his role as "mostly administrative."
When asked to comment on the new findings, Byrum declined, stating in an email that he "cannot comment on matters concerning personnel issues."
In a follow-up email, KRIS 6 News clarified that the questions concerned agency policies, regulatory compliance, and public accountability rather than personnel matters. Byrum did not respond to the clarification.
Records provided by the NRA indicate a former employee did not hold a Class A, C, or D water operator license during her employment with the agency. However, TCEQ microbial reporting forms for Fowlerton Water Supply Corporation list her as the sampler on January 23, 2023, and March 23, 2024.
Texas regulations require individuals collecting drinking water samples to hold proper water operator licenses issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Another former NRA employee's employment with the agency ended on February 9, 2024, according to records provided by the NRA. However, 14 forms dated after his departure indicate he was the sampler, with the unlicensed former employee listed as the courier.
That same former employee was, with one exception, the only NRA staff member to collect water samples during the entire 2023 calendar year, according to the documents reviewed by KRIS 6 News.
In one instance, a city public works director is listed as the sampler for his own city's water system on June 27, 2024, with the unlicensed former NRA employee listed as courier. Records indicate the public works director does not hold a water operator license.
When asked about the findings, TCEQ said the agency "cannot comment" on specific questions regarding the investigation or public health implications.
"To support the integrity of all criminal investigations conducted by TCEQ, we cannot comment on this request," a TCEQ spokesperson wrote in an email. "Please direct all inquiries to the Nueces County District Attorney's Office."
TCEQ did provide information about TCEQ's general oversight role, stating that the agency "implements the Public Water System Supervision Program which includes technical assistance, preventive efforts, customer service, a laboratory accreditation program, as well as regulatory and enforcement actions."
"Public water systems must adhere to all applicable rules and regulations enforced by the federal and state government," according to a TCEQ spokesperson. "Unresolved violations are addressed by enforcement action including technical requirements and potential fines."
Nueces County District Attorney Jimmy Granberry said last week that his office is currently reviewing the 38 cases and coordinating with other jurisdictions.
"Because the water testing was done at a lab in Nueces County we have jurisdiction over those cases, but we are reaching out to the district attorneys in the counties in which these samples were allegedly taken to get their input on how to proceed," Granberry said in a statement. "Once that process is completed the cases will be filed, and set for trial. At this point, there is no indication that anyone was injured or harmed as a result of this conduct."
Each count of tampering with a government document is classified as a state jail felony, carrying a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
KRIS 6 News asked the NRA how it maintained adequate licensed staffing levels after the departure of its primary sampler in February 2024, what quality assurance measures were in place to verify samples were collected by qualified individuals, and whether water systems have been reimbursed for services that may not have met regulatory requirements.
Byrum did not address these questions.
The Nueces River Authority collects water samples for approximately seven to eight entities across the region under contract. These water systems pay the NRA to collect monthly water samples on their behalf, which are then submitted to laboratories for analysis.
The suspected irregularities initially came to light when Corpus Christi Water, which was testing samples collected by the NRA, suspected problems with the documentation and reported their suspicions to TCEQ.
