Residents in eastern Henrico County, Virginia are facing significant challenges as water pressure issues continue to affect communities such as Sandston, White Oak, and Varina. The situation escalated on January 6, 2025, when many reported they had low to no water pressure at their homes, causing widespread inconvenience.
The disruption of water services stems from multiple unfortunate events, primarily triggered by an unexpected power outage at the City of Richmond’s water treatment facility. This facility is responsible for supplying water to both cities, and when its systems failed, Henrico County had to quickly disconnect from Richmond’s water system. Instead, Henrico started relying on its own water treatment plant, resulting in temporarily reduced water pressure for many residents. Along with the power outage, rival issues compounded the problem, including the emergence of a water main break within the county, complicate the recovery situation.
Despite these challenges, the Henrico County Department of Public Utilities has been working tirelessly to manage and resolve the water pressure issues. Crews were dispatched to the affected areas to restore water pressure as quickly as possible, with officials expressing optimism about returning to normal service levels by the afternoon of January 7, 2025. Bentley P. Chan, the director of the Department of Public Utilities, stated, "Henrico County wants to assure our customers their water is safe to drink and use.”
A statement released by the Henrico Department of Public Works clarified the situation: “The loss of water pressure is due to the quick rerouting of water services from the City of Richmond’s water facility yesterday afternoon for Henrico customers, combined with a water main break.” Officials indicated the Henrico Water Treatment Facility has sufficient capacity to provide water to all the county’s residents, but the remnants of the outages are still being felt.
The Henrico County Department of Public Utilities also stressed the importance of keeping all residents informed throughout the crisis. They have encouraged those affected to report any continuing water issues, and for water emergencies like the recent interruptions, residents can reach out to them at 804-501-5025 at any time.
What distinguishes Henrico's situation from Richmond's is the issuance of boil water advisories. While Richmond officials were compelled to issue such advisories after the outage led to contaminated water concerns, Henrico County residents were spared this fate due to their proactive disconnection from Richmond’s system. City officials declared they might not have their water supply fully functional for 24 to 48 hours.
Nevertheless, many Henrico residents were still impacted. Reports of outages emerged from neighborhoods across the eastern areas, with individuals from Varina, Highland Springs, and even Richmond International Airport noting their service interruptions. For example, Varina District Supervisor Tyrone Nelson took to social media early on January 7 to assure his constituents about the plans underway to remedy the situation.
Officials expect to have water pressure issues resolved by the afternoon of January 7, offering hope to affected residents. "Water pressure should be restored to Henrico customers by Tuesday afternoon," noted sources from the county advisory team. The focus remains on addressing the existing problems effectively, with collaborative efforts also being extended to assist Richmond’s restoration endeavors.
With more than 100,000 customers relying on the county's public water system, Henrico County officials have stressed their dedication to maintaining resilient infrastructure to avoid similar crises moving forward. They recognize the need for continual monitoring and improvement of their systems to safeguard against unexpected disruptions like power outages.
Residents are urged to stay informed through official communications from Henrico County as efforts to restore service continue. The incident sheds light on the vulnerabilities present within local infrastructure and the importance of adaptability during unforeseen events.
The swift action by Henrico County Department of Public Utilities exemplifies how proactive measures can mitigate the impact of regional crises, ensuring access to safe and reliable water for all citizens during trying times.