Public utilities, roads and human services took the spotlight Tuesday as the Henrico County Board of Supervisors continued its detailed review of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-26.
The Department of Public Utilities opened its presentation with a photograph taken during the region’s water crisis of early January. It showed crews working in darkness through a winter storm to repair a water main break near Monument Avenue and Bremo Road. Mechanical failures at Richmond’s water treatment plant had caused service outages that spread to areas of central and eastern Henrico.
A series of water-main breaks compounded the challenges as Public Utilities sought to restore service by directing water from the county’s Water Treatment Facility. So far, Public Utilities has tracked 207 water-main breaks since Jan. 1 – on pace to well exceed the county’s average of 200 to 300 per year.
The supervisors thanked Public Utilities and its staff for their response throughout the crisis and reiterated support for continued county investment to ensure the water system remains strong and resilient. Public Utilities continues to monitor flows from the city and is making improvements to both infrastructure and systems. The investments would be supported through a proposed 5% increase in utilities rates. Customers would pay an additional $3.67 per month on average. The increase has been planned and was not the result of the recent water crisis.
Other highlights of the meeting included:
- The proposed budget would support Public Utilities’ planned expansion of refuse collection to currently unserved areas of western and eastern Henrico. The expansion is expected to occur in three phases over three years, beginning next spring. The expansion would offer trash collection to more than 20,000 properties currently unserved by the county.
- Public Utilities continues to inspect properties for water lines containing lead in accord with regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency. Under the program, lead pipes are replaced at no cost to the property owner. For more information, go to henrico.gov/services/lead-service-line-replacement-program/.
- Public Utilities is continuing projects that extend access to public water and sewer service to properties currently served by private wells and septic systems. The projects are being funded with more than $60 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
- The Virgil R. Hazelett Reservoir at Cobbs Creek is more than halfway to its capacity – currently holding about 8.1 billion gallons of water. Public Utilities expect the facility, along the James River in Cumberland County, will reach its 14.8-billion-gallon target later this year.
- Public Works has collaborated with other departments to promote pedestrian safety – and safety for all travelers – through the county’s Watch Out Ahead Henrico, or WOAH!, campaign. The county has distributed more than 50,000 reflective WOAH! vests to residents at county facilities and events. An additional 50,000 vests will soon be delivered to all students of Henrico County Public Schools. Members of the Board of Supervisors also handed out vests to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
- Public Works continues to focus heavily on road maintenance and is using an asphalt-recycling process, known as full-depth reclamation (FDR), to efficiently and economically widen and improve roads. So far, more than 50 lane miles of roads have been improved, many in the Varina District. A recent project to improve Kain Road in western Henrico shows the benefits of FDR, according to Public Works. Kain was upgraded at a cost of $1.5 million – well below a $15 million estimate for rebuilding using conventional methods.
- Public Works revamped the county’s vacuum-leaf service, working with a new vendor, Really Clean Streets. Residents submitted more than 7,000 orders for service, with customers giving the service an average rating of 9.9 out of 10.
- Public Works has about 110 active projects and 25 active studies underway to address a variety of transportation needs, including enhanced mobility and traffic safety. Work will begin soon to improve Liesfield Farm Drive, Magellan Parkway, Three Chopt Road and Richmond-Henrico Turnpike. More than a dozen “quick-build” roundabouts have dramatically improved safety, with no crashes resulting in injuries since the features were added. Public Works is also addressing safety concerns for pedestrians and other travelers with lighting improvements. Pilot projects to install solar-powered lighting have been completed at roundabouts on Derbyshire and Francistown roads.
- Henrico now has 276 miles of sidewalk, 45 miles of paved shared-use path, 33 miles of bike lane and nine bus shelters. Nearly 60 projects totaling $170 million will provide an additional 13 miles of sidewalk, 10 miles of shared-use path and 50 bus shelters with 75 benches.
- As vaccination rates have dipped nationally since the COVID-19 pandemic, Public Health worked with Henrico County Public Schools to ensure students had their required shots. The effort helped provide more than 1,000 students with vaccinations at 33 events held during the school day.
- Public Health conducted a community health assessment for the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts. Among its findings, the assessment found additional support needed for several key populations – specifically, people who are homeless, adults ages 60 and older, and those who are unemployed. Issues needing attention, according to the survey, include affordable housing/utilities, good jobs/stable economy and violence.
- Public Health has emphasized outreach through its community health workers and worked to ensure access to prenatal care.
- Social Services continues to experience a heavy call volume, due in part to concerns about a nationwide scamming effort under investigation by state and federal authorities. Details are at dss.virginia.gov/benefit/EBTScam/. In Henrico, Social Services fielded nearly 30,000 calls in the first half of fiscal 2025, an increase of 92% from the previous year. The department also continues to process more applications for benefits, with more than 26,000 applications processed in fiscal 2024.
- Social Services oversaw more than 4,000 youth in the state-administered Child Care Subsidy Program during fiscal 2024 – the highest total among Virginia localities.
- Mental Health & Developmental Services helped launch the Marcus Alert system in Henrico to improve the emergency response to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Mental Health has supported the new crisis receiving center for youth at St. Joseph’s Villa. The center is designed to be an alternative to a hospital emergency room and provides rapid assessment and crisis stabilization services for youth ages 7 to 17. Since opening last spring, the center has handled 107 referrals and worked with youth for an average of 10 hours, with most released to their homes with prescribed services.
The Board of Supervisors’ review of the $1.35 billion spending plan continued Wednesday with the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, Economic Development Authority, Henrico County Public Library and Public Safety agencies, including Police, Fire, Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Communications and Emergency Management & Workplace Safety. Details of the budget are at henrico.gov/budget/proposed-budgets/.
