Customers are asked to limit water use; distribution site opens at Best Plaza
Henrico’s water system remains stable, and the county’s water is safe for use as Public Utilities crews continue to coordinate with Richmond to manage the impacts of a large water main break that occurred Thursday in the city’s downtown.
Henrico customers may experience lower-than-normal water pressure as crews work to manage flows across the system without putting excessive pressure on the break site. As a result, customers are encouraged to limit water use when possible. Henrico has opened a drive-thru water distribution site at Best Plaza, 1400 Best Plaza Drive. A distribution site at Harvie Elementary School, 3401 Harvie Road, will open Saturday. Residents may pick up bottled water – one case per car – daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, residents may call Public Utilities at 804-501-4275.
At a news conference this morning, County Manager John A. Vithoulkas said the county has offered staff and resources in hopes of accelerating the city’s water main repairs from the current estimate of late Monday. He also commended the communications of Mayor Danny Avula and other officials but acknowledged the strain of ongoing challenges stemming from the city’s water system.
“It is frustrating when logistically we do not receive water – a basic service that the city must contractually provide,” he said. “It is frustrating when we have to redeploy the fire service to cover our county through tankers, and it is frustrating because we cannot do the work that we are all here to do for our residents when we are in crisis mode.”
Henrico opened its emergency operations center Thursday evening after learning of the city’s broken water main on Canal Street about 6 p.m. County utilities technicians are onsite and will remain there 24/7 to support operations at the Richmond Water Treatment Plant.
Overnight Thursday, when system use was low, Henrico Public Utilities routed water from the county’s Water Treatment Facility in western Henrico to replenish its reserve tanks in eastern Henrico. Those tanks are able to serve customers in the county’s central and eastern areas that receive water directly from the city’s distribution system. Henrico relied on those reserves this week when operational issues at the city’s water treatment plant prompted the county to temporarily disconnect from the city’s system. The tanks are on pace to be refilled to capacity around midday Saturday.
Henrico’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget includes $50 million for currently unspecified improvements to make the county’s utilities system stronger and more resilient. Officials also continue to seek additional funding sources to support the work.
At today’s news conference, Varina District Supervisor Tyrone E. Nelson reiterated the county’s desire to partner with Richmond as well as Hanover County and Chesterfield County through a regional entity to strengthen the region’s water system and ensure its reliability.
“As the city’s largest water customer, our county, our residents, in particular, deserve better than this,” he said. “We need changes that are substantial and ensure a level of service that’s consistent and world class across our community, our region,” he said.