Richmond's audit identified infrastructure, communication, and planning struggles as the main cause of the crisis. The reports of Hanover and Henrico focused on how communication failures from the city hampered their ability to respond.
Catch up quick: The water issues stemmed from an early morning power outage on Monday, Jan. 6, and a series of backup system failures at the city's main water treatment plant during a winter storm.
Richmond, VA — Today at 2:30 p.m., Mayor Danny Avula announced that the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has officially lifted the Boil Water Advisory for impacted Richmond neighborhoods. This follows the results of two sets of compliance samples, both of which came back negative, passing the required tests.
What areas are affected by the water outage in Richmond?
City officials said residents who live in the following areas may experience a total loss of water service, while others may experience loss in water pressure:
Richmond faces 3rd water issue in 5 months, raising reliability concerns: 'Long road ahead'
Where does the Richmond water supply come from?
The principal source of water in the Richmond Region is surface water coming from the Region's major rivers and reservoirs. Two-thirds of the Region's water comes from the James River and one quarter comes from the Appomattox River or Lake Chesdin. The North Anna River and Swift Creek Reservoir are additional sources.
Our drinking water meets and exceeds all Federal and State drinking water requirements and our water systems are operated by State Certified operators.
Is it okay to shower during a boil water advisory?
The water may be used for showering, baths, shaving and washing, as long as it is not swallowed or gets in the eyes, nose or mouth. Children and individuals with disabilities should have their bath supervised to ensure water is not swallowed. The time spent bathing should be minimized.
Can I use my coffee maker during a Boil Water Advisory? Most coffee makers cannot maintain high temperatures for a long enough time to make the water safe to drink. Coffee can be made by using water that has already been boiled for one minute before adding to the coffee maker or made using bottled water.
How long can Thames water leave you without water?
Emergency Water Outage London:
If there is an interruption to your water supply as a result of an emergency such as a burst main water pipe in your area, Thames Water must restore the supply within twelve hours of the time that they first become aware of the problem.
Check another faucet in the house: Checking the other taps will confirm if you have a problem with one tap or the whole house. If you've lost water to the whole home, it's time to call a professional plumber. Check your water shut-off valve: If you have an emergency shut-off valve, it could have accidentally tripped.
By April 1865, the Confederate government realized the siege was almost over and abandoned the city lest they be captured. The retreating Confederates chose to burn military supplies rather than let them fall into Union hands; the resulting fire destroyed much of central Richmond.
The water crisis was completely avoidable and should not have happened. The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) management and leadership made at least three critical errors in their operational decisions, which caused the water crisis.
A leak can cause your water pressure to drop and the supply of water to be shut off entirely. You should inspect your home's water supply lines or hot water system for drips or dents to determine if this is the source of your tap issues. If you detect any leaks, you should call a plumber right away.
In January 2025, the city of Richmond, Virginia and its surrounding localities suffered water distribution outages due to a blizzard which impacted much of the United States. The issues started on the morning of Monday, January 6, and were mostly resolved by Saturday, January 11.
At an average of 1 metre (3 feet) above sea level, Richmond faces flood hazards from coastal storm surges, snowmelt flooding and extreme weather events making flood protection incredibly important.
Despite all plants having similar experiences with water quality, only Richmond had to issue a boil water advisory due to a loss of water production. Thusly, the VDH said this water-related crisis event was primarily caused by the delay in cleaning the filters at Richmond's plant — not by high turbidity.
The City of Richmond's water is continuously tested and meets or exceeds EPA standards for safe drinking water. For more information, call EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Today, Richmond's Department of Public Utilities' (DPU) water plant can produce up to 132 million gallons per day (MGD). DPU also provides water to Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochland and Powhatan counties through wholesale contracts.
Yes, it is safe to take a bath or shower, but be careful not to swallow any water. Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water.
You can also use a kettle, but make sure it doesn't have an automatic shutoff, because the water must boil for 1 full minute. Boiled water can be kept in sterilized, properly sealed containers in the refrigerator for 3 days or for 24 hours if kept at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
Post-mix soda fountains mix tap water with syrup from canisters to create the soda. Post-mix fountains and the water and ice features of any fountain must not be used until the boil water notice is lifted and the machine and water lines have been flushed and disinfected per the manufacturer's direction.
