Richmond issues boil water advisory after power outage at water plant

Richmond residents are being asked to boil their water, effective immediately, after a power outage this morning at the city's main water facility due to a winter storm.

At a press conference this evening, Mayor Danny Avula and Director of the Department of Public Utilities April Bingham said the boil order is likely to remain in effect for 24-28 hours.

The city hopes to begin producing water again by 10 p.m. tonight, but will need time to build capacity and test the water before lifting the order.

The full release from the city is below:

The City of Richmond, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, has issued a Boil Water Advisory immediately and until further notice for all City of Richmond residents. It is urgent that residents take conservation steps immediately and boil water before consuming it.  

In regional cooperation, the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover have removed themselves from the City’s water supply and transferred to other supplies. Residents in those counties are not impacted by the boil water advisory.

Some customers may experience a total loss of water service, while others may experience varying degrees of loss in water pressure.  

"Our top priority is the health and safety of our residents and neighbors. I am asking all Richmonders to limit their water usage as the team at the Department of Public Utilities works around the clock to get our water system back online,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “I’m also asking residents to consider their neighbors, and only use as much water as they need – all in this together.” 

This advisory comes after a winter weather storm-related loss of power today impacted the City’s water reservoir system, causing the system to temporarily malfunction. Capacity restoration services are currently underway. 

“We know the importance water plays in our everyday lives,” says April Bingham, senior director for the Department of Public Utilities. “My team is diligently working to bring the water system back online along with the support of our partners.” 

City officials remain in close contact with the Virginia Health Department to assess and resolve the situation. Once the water system is back online, Department of Public Utilities personnel will begin the process of flushing the system and ensuring that the water is safe to drink. 

The City will communicate new information as it becomes available through rva.gov and its social media pages. 

Below is a checklist for safe water use during this time:  

·         Do not drink tap water during this boil water advisory.  

·         Do not drink from water fountains in parks, public or private buildings that receive water from the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities.  

·         Do not use ice made from water today. Discard the ice and sanitize the ice machine and/or ice trays. This also applies to water and ice dispensed directly from a refrigerator. 

·         Do not use tap water to make drinks, juices, or fountain soft drinks. 

·         Do not wash your dishes using tap water – use boiled water or use paper plates for the next few days.  

·         Do not wash your fruits and vegetables with tap water – use boiled or bottled water. 

·         Do not brush your teeth with tap water – use boiled or bottled water.  

·         Do not cook with tap water, unless your food will be boiled vigorously for three minutes. 

Temporary water conservation tips: 

·         Eliminate or shorten shower times. 

·         Avoid unnecessary toilet flushes, 

·         Avoid washing clothes for as long as possible. 

·         Postpone washing dishes if possible. 

·         Check all faucets, showerheads and under cabinets for drips. 

 The Richmonder will update this story as more information is available.