RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is reversing a decision by his administration’s health commissioner to lay off 14 state employees who monitor drinking water.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the governor’s press secretary announced that decision on Saturday.

Earlier last week, the newspaper reported on the planned layoffs of 11 full-time and three part-time employees in the state Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water.

The layoffs had been scheduled to take effect on Jan. 9. Northam’s press secretary, Alena Yarmosky, said the governor’s office learned about the planned layoffs from The Times-Dispatch’s reporting.