Henrico County hit by four water main breaks amid water crisis, closes water distribution centers for incoming weather
Jan 10, 2025
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Henrico County officials said the end could be near of the recent water crisis that started Monday, Jan. 6, after a power outage at Richmond's water plant.
Henrico officials told 8News all residents have running water and they’re hopeful the boil water advisory will be lifted Saturday, Jan. 11.
The advisory has been in place since Wednesday, Jan. 8, and has impacted the over 300,000 residents. The county said 24,000 were without water at the peak of water outage on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Among this, another water issue arrived for the county to tackle: water main breaks. 8News reported on four water main breaks just this week alone, starting Saturday, Jan. 4, on Snow Goose Lane between Nuckols Road and Rollingwood Lane, Wednesday on Parham Road, Thursday on Monument Avenue, and the latest happening Thursday night at the intersection of Staples Mill Road and Thalbro Street around 7:45.
Henrico County crews working on a water main break at the intersection of Staples Mill road and Thalbro Street early Friday morning. (Courtesy of Howard Williams/WRIC)
The county said these breaks have not impacted the county-wide water services and that county employees have been working around the clock. They said breaks have been on the west end of the county, and the water restoration has been on the east end of the county.
Public Utilities director Bentley Chan told 8News the breaks are due to the frigid temperatures, and on Staples Mill Road especially because it’s an old pipe that they’re making a plan to replace.
The county said they’re running additional staff at all hours to combat them.
As for the boil water advisory, the second of two water contamination tests was put in around 11:30 Friday morning. The results of the first test are expected around 6:00 Friday night and the second around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11.
The county is hopeful the advisory will be lifted after that.
Henrico County water tests. (Courtesy of Henrico County)
They said they’ve given out 100 tractor trailer loads worth of water, about 120,000 gallons of tanker water, delivered water to over 50 daycares and over 800 residents who weren’t able to get to the water distribution sites themselves.
Due to icy weather expected to hit Friday night, they’re closing all water distribution centers and shower facilities at 8 p.m.
“We have been watching the weather like everyone else," Henrico County Chief of Emergency Management Rob Rowley said. "We’ve planned ahead. So, we have an adequate supply to make sure that if there is a bit of an influx on those looking for water today, we will be able to meet their needs.”
Distribution centers will open again Saturday, Jan. 10, pending the results of the water tests and if roads are safe enough to drive on. Rowley said they have a crew ready to manage the roads Friday night.
"Our goal is to make sure that every single resident of Henrico County has access to water that they can feel safe drinking," he said.