RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Richmond residents will have to wait until at least Saturday morning before the boil-water advisory in the Virginia capital is lifted, officials announced, marking the fourth day of limited access to drinkable tap water following an outage at the city’s treatment facility.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday morning, Richmond Mayor Danny Avula revealed that the first water test at the facility had been conducted after pressure levels were fully restored on Thursday. Avula emphasized that the advisory can only be rescinded after two consecutive negative bacteria tests, each taken 16 hours apart.
“We’re progressing through the testing process to ensure the safety of our water supply for consumption,” Avula stated.
The results of the initial test were anticipated to be available on Friday afternoon, setting Saturday morning as the earliest possible time for officials to lift the advisory. The announcement came after Richmond’s approximately 230,000 residents had been without potable tap water since Monday afternoon when a breakdown at the water treatment facility occurred due to a power outage amid a snowstorm.
In addition to Richmond, neighboring Hanover and Henrico counties are also under advisories. Hanover County, with a population of around 114,000, and Henrico County, with approximately 335,000 residents, are both impacted by the ongoing water safety concerns.
Following the outage, the restoration efforts were hindered by the failure of a key piece of equipment responsible for managing water filters on Tuesday. By Thursday, full pressure had been restored to all areas served by the water system.
Throughout the week, public schools remained closed, and residents had to seek alternative sources of potable water for their households. Water tanker trucks were deployed to deliver water to local hospitals, while various distribution centers were established across Richmond. Officials worked diligently to ensure access to essential water-based items such as baby formula. Local community centers, including YMCA branches and a JCC, offered facilities like showers to residents in need.
The Virginia legislature, housed in the capital city, postponed its scheduled first full working day of session in response to the crisis. Lawmakers convened briefly on Wednesday to address procedural matters before adjourning until the following Monday. Outside the statehouse, a row of portable toilets was set up on the lawn of the building, which was experiencing water pressure issues.
___
Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
