Richmond water crisis deepens after storm damage forces delay
Restoration efforts hindered by equipment failures; General Assembly delays the beginning of its 2025 session until next week.
Efforts to fully restore water service in Richmond faced another setback Tuesday evening, just hours before the Virginia General Assembly was set to convene for its 2025 session. The disruptions, caused by a winter storm that knocked out power to the city’s water treatment plant, were further complicated when an equipment failure at the facility slowed progress, city officials said.
The water crisis had forced the closure of all state office buildings in Richmond, including the state Capitol and the General Assembly Building, as well as state offices in Hanover County.
The legislature will convene its regular session at noon on Wednesday, but lawmakers will quickly recess until Monday, House Clerk Paul Nardo said in an email Tuesday evening. The Capitol and GAB will remain closed through Sunday with no public access, working restrooms, or food services.
Earlier on Tuesday, city officials had reported signs of improvement, including restored computer systems and resumed water flow. However, a malfunction in an electric panel at the plant has now extended the timeline for bringing the water system back to full capacity.
Richmond Mayor Danny Avula acknowledged the delay but said crews are working to correct the problems and get residents’ water flowing again.
“While we are disappointed to learn that the Tuesday afternoon panel failure has slowed our progress, service teams remain on duty round-the-clock to re-pressurize the water system and restore water distribution throughout the city,” Avula said in a statement.
“We are pulling in additional resources and experts to help solve the problem as we work towards returning water service to full functionality.”
City engineers initially believed the malfunction would not cause significant delays, but further analysis revealed a more complex issue requiring additional time and resources to address.
Staff from the Department of Public Utilities, along with local and national experts, are continuing efforts to restore operations. Avula has maintained a presence at the plant to oversee the process and ensure all available resources are being deployed to resolve the situation.
“Because clean and available drinking water is paramount to public health and a thriving life, we are working hard to make sure Richmond has access to safe and clean drinking water,” Avula said.
The boil water advisory remains in effect, and residents are encouraged to conserve water. Officials have not provided an updated timeline for lifting the advisory but previously warned that drinkable water may not be available until Thursday.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has been closely monitoring the situation and remains in contact with Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, according to Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez.
“The Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Virginia Department of Health have coordinated closely with the city to provide technical support and emergency supplies,” Martinez said earlier on Tuesday.
He added that state agencies worked overnight to supply area hospitals with tanker trucks of water and delivered nearly 70 pallets of bottled water to the city, with an additional 350 pallets en route for distribution.
To support vulnerable populations, Richmond’s Human Services portfolio partnered with the Richmond Sheriff’s Office and the American Red Cross to distribute bottled water in high-priority areas. Deliveries focused on homeless shelters, public housing, and residences for older adults, with outreach efforts continuing throughout the day.
Bottled water distribution sites across the city are set to operate until 2 p.m. on Wednesday at these locations:
- Broad Rock Library
- Hickory Hill Community Center
- Bellemeade Community Center
- Midtown Green
- Pine Camp Community Center
- Westover Hills Community Center
- East End District Initiative (EDI)
Impact on the legislature
The ongoing water crisis in Richmond has forced the closure of the state Capitol and General Assembly Building and will delay legislative activity, just as 140 lawmakers and staff from across the state were set to begin the 2025 legislative session on Wednesday.
Lawmakers will convene briefly at noon to address procedural resolutions, including salaries and contingencies, before recessing until Monday, due to the water outage. No additional legislative business or committee meetings will take place this week, and the Capitol and GAB will remain closed through Sunday.
Nardo, the House clerk, notified lawmakers and staff on Tuesday, urging those already in the Capitol to vacate the building immediately, citing unsafe conditions.
“Yesterday, a cascading series of events occurred when a power outage from the winter storm knocked out power to Richmond’s water reservoir system and caused it to malfunction, taking the system offline,” Nardo said in an email.
Nardo reported that by Tuesday morning water pressure had “gone kaput in the Capitol and GAB,” with no water in some buildings and low pressure in others. Officials warned that even when water returns, it could take 16–18 hours to stabilize the system.
“When water does come back up, officials have asked us to conserve water to help with pressure,” Nardo said. “It’s just not safe yet to resume non-drinking water uses like flushing toilets and washing hands.”
The crisis has also disrupted staffing plans at the Capitol. Legislative aides, interns, and most support staff have been instructed not to report to work this week, while House chamber staff will be present on Wednesday morning to manage the abbreviated session. Pages have already been sent home.
Nardo encouraged lawmakers to return to their districts until Monday, when they will reconvene for Youngkin’s State of the Commonwealth address at 10 a.m., which was initially scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
“I know this is A LOT to digest, but it’s been an unprecedented and challenging few days,” Nardo told lawmakers and staffers in an email update on Tuesday evening.
“It’s important to the Speaker and me that we will be fulfilling our constitutionally required obligations while also being realistic about what is possible on Capitol Square tomorrow and for the rest of this week.”
