Mark Turlington, Sampson County public works director, updates county commissioners on the Ivanhoe water project as a brief video playing in the background shows pipe that awaits putting in the ground. Turlington said work was underway but stressed that the project would take time to complete.

Mark Turlington, Sampson County public works director, updates county commissioners on the Ivanhoe water project as a brief video playing in the background shows pipe that awaits putting in the ground. Turlington said work was underway but stressed that the project would take time to complete.

Due to less than expected numbers of residents signing up for water connection for the Ivanhoe water project, Longview Lake Road was added to the list of roads that will now benefit from the water system construction currently underway in Sampson.

At the Sampson County Board of Commissioners’ meeting Monday night, Mark Turlington, director of public works, provided updates on the project, showing a brief video to further highlight the progress now being made on the water project.

Turlington told the board they had anticipated 300 residents would sign up for water connection services in Ivanhoe, but since only about 150 had actually registered for county water in the area, Longview Lake Road was placed back in the project. The road was initially eliminated from the original proposal due to budget constraints.

Construction has already begun in Ivanhoe, but Turlington stressed that completion was a ways off.

“I went down there today (Monday) and they had already laid six-tenths of a mile of pipe. It’s going to be a slow process; they have 18 months in their contract to do it, and they have 40 miles to go; it’s going to be a slow process, but it has begun, and we’re very thankful.”

Sampson County Commissioner Lethia Lee, Dist. 4, thanked Turlington for all the hard work.

“We knew that it was coming, and I just had to keep on encouraging the people of Ivanhoe, and now we’re seeing the world and we know how hard everyone is working on this project, and we thank you.”

Dewberry Engineer Emma Ialeggio provided construction updates on the project, explaining they first start by drilling under creeks and other waterways.

“They’re working south to north,” she said. “It’s an 18-month construction time frame, so the end of 2026 is the last we can do anything.”

Ialeggo said she would give another update next month.

Chuck Thompson is a special content writer covering county government for The Sampson Independent.