Richmond issued a boil water advisory on May 27, 2025, affecting neighborhoods served by the Ginter Park Tank, due to operational issues at the city’s water treatment plant. Residents were urged to conserve water and boil it before use. This advisory follows a catastrophic January crisis that left thousands without safe water for days. A state report faulted Richmond’s outdated system, citing preventable failures and a slow response, demanding corrective action and $63 million in upgrades. Despite ongoing improvements, the recent setback highlights persistent vulnerabilities. The city continues monitoring the situation and advises residents to follow safety guidelines until further notice.
Richmond officials issued a new boil water advisory Tuesday for large swaths of the city, less than six months after a catastrophic water crisis left much of the region without safe drinking water for days.
“People can use the water,” Avula said. “They just need to boil it before they drink it,” Mayor Danny Avula said in a virtual press conference Tuesday afternoon, adding that the city doesn’t currently have plans to distribute bottled water.
The latest advisory, announced by the city of Richmond in coordination with the Virginia Department of Health late Tuesday morning, affects residents served by the Ginter Park Tank, including neighborhoods such as Byrd Park, Brookland Park, Carver, Carytown, Chamberlayne, the Fan, Jackson Ward, Oregon Hill, Randolph and the VCU Monroe Park campus.
By Tuesday evening, the advisory had expanded to include Southside neighborhoods such as Ancarrow’s Landing, Bellemeade, Blackwell, Commerce Road Industrial Area, Hillside Court, Davee Gardens, Manchester, Oak Grove, and Windsor.
Some customers may experience total service loss or low pressure, Avula advised. Others may not notice a change, but officials urged all residents to conserve water immediately and to boil water before consuming it.
“This advisory comes after the city’s water treatment plant experienced an operational issue in the early morning hours on Tuesday, May 27, and after the water system had been restored to full production,” the city said in a statement. “The filters re-clogged after running at full production for over an hour.”
The pressure drop has impacted the Ginter Park tank, and while the city says it is monitoring efforts to restore full pressure, no timeline has been given. The city warned that the list of affected areas could grow if usage continues to outpace supply.
“As a cautionary measure, all residents are asked to conserve water to ensure all needs are met during this time,” the statement said. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates to our customers as new information becomes available.”
Officials urged residents to avoid drinking tap water, making ice, brushing teeth, cooking, or washing food or dishes with unboiled tap water. Full water safety guidelines and neighborhood maps are available at rva.gov.
It’s not clear how long the advisory will last. The water levels in the city’s reservoir need to be at a certain height for water testing to begin, Avula explained. Then, the Virginia Department of Health must conduct two tests, between 16 and 24 hours apart, in order for the boil water advisory to be lifted.
At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Avula hopped on a media briefing to announce that a water sample for the first of two tests had been collected.
While Richmond residents learned about the latest water issues late on Tuesday morning, officials in neighboring localities had been made aware before sunrise. Henrico and Chesterfield counties were able to reduce the amount of water they drew from the city’s system, and Hanover sent an advisory to residents Tuesday afternoon saying the county’s drinking water is safe and doesn’t need boiling before consumption.
Avula explained that alerts to the public happen “much later than internal communication.” He said that the city reached out to Chesterfield and Henrico counties to “try to figure out, ‘hey, what can we do to reduce demand on the system?’”
“That allowed us to have more time to recover the facility and then make a plan of action to move forward,” interim DPU director Scott Morris added.
But the city’s messaging to residents flip-flopped earlier in the day. A release near 9 a.m. indicated there was no effect to drinking water; by noon, the boil water advisory was put in place.
The advisory is likely to draw renewed scrutiny to Richmond’s water system, which remains under investigation following the massive January breakdown that left thousands without water or usable water pressure for nearly a week.
The city of Richmond has asked residents in the affected areas to boil and conserve water as long as the advisory is in place. (Courtesy of the city of Richmond)
In April, the Virginia Department of Health released a scathing 314-page report on the January event, calling it “completely avoidable” and the result of “a long chain of preventable failures” at the city’s century-old Water Treatment Plant.
“This crisis could have been prevented with better operational decisions,” State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton said at the time. “Our goal now is to ensure corrective actions are taken swiftly and effectively, so Richmond-area families can trust their water supply.”
The report, based on an independent probe by the engineering firm Short Elliott Hendrickson, detailed a cascade of failures, such as untested batteries, broken valves and neglected emergency protocols. When a winter storm knocked out overhead power lines on Jan. 6, the plant’s backup systems failed, flooding underground equipment rooms and halting production.
The city’s response was slow and, in many cases, ineffective. By the time Richmond issued a boil advisory that afternoon, pressure had already dropped dangerously low. Water systems in Henrico, Hanover and Goochland counties, which connect to Richmond’s, were also impacted. Full restoration didn’t come until Jan. 9, and the boil order wasn’t lifted until Jan. 11.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin called the disruption “unacceptable” and said, “It should never happen again.”
As a result of the January failure, the city received a second formal notice of violation and is now under a mandate to develop and implement a corrective action plan. The SEH report identified over $63 million in additional needed improvements, on top of $60 million already proposed in the city’s capital plan.
Those upgrades include modernizing electrical systems, automating emergency operations, and redesigning the clearwell overflow system to prevent future floods.
While Mayor Danny Avula said he was “incredibly proud” of the work done so far by the Department of Public Utilities, the VDH’s findings painted a picture of what one official called a “culture of complacency,” where temporary workarounds were the norm and long-standing vulnerabilities went unresolved.
Now, just weeks later, the system has suffered another setback.
The city said it will continue to post updates on its website and social media platforms. Residents are encouraged to check those resources regularly and to follow all water safety precautions until the advisory is lifted.
Virginia Mercury reporter Charlotte Rene Woods contributed to this story.
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This article primarily reports on the water crisis in Richmond with detailed coverage of government failures, infrastructure issues, and public health concerns. It emphasizes accountability, citing independent reports and critical statements from officials, including Governor Glenn Youngkin. While the tone remains factual, the focus on systemic failures and the “culture of complacency” within city government leans slightly toward a progressive viewpoint that advocates for governmental responsibility and infrastructure investment. However, it maintains balanced reporting by including official responses and avoids overtly partisan language, placing it modestly left of center.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-29 11:25:00
Virginia will hold a special election to fill the 11th Congressional District seat after the death of Democrat Rep. Gerry Connolly, who served since 2009. Connolly, 75, died of cancer after announcing he wouldn’t seek reelection. The governor must issue a writ to trigger the election, which cannot occur within 55 days of other federal elections but can coincide with a general election. Five Democrats have filed to run, with the nomination decided in a special primary; no Republicans have filed yet. The winner will complete Connolly’s term ending January 2027. The election date remains unannounced.
(The Center Square) – Virginia will hold a special election to fill the 11th Congressional District seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat who had represented the Northern Virginia district since 2009.
Connolly, 75, died after a battle with cancer. He announced in April that he would not seek reelection, setting up a competitive primary before the race shifted into a special election process.
A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Elections confirmed that the governor must issue a writ of election to trigger the special vote. The election cannot be held within 55 days of a primary or general election, but it can be scheduled on the same day as a general election. Virginia also requires 45 days of early voting for federal elections.
As of Thursday, the governor had not announced a date.
Constituent services will continue through Connolly’s existing staff with oversight from the Clerk of the U.S. House, but no one can vote or introduce legislation on behalf of the district until a successor is sworn in.
The 11th District, which includes most of Fairfax County and parts of Prince William County, has been a Democratic stronghold for over a decade. Connolly won reelection in 2024 with 67% of the vote.
Five Democrats have filed to run in the special election, according to state and federal records: James Walkinshaw, Stella Pekarsky, Candice Bennett, Joshua Aisen and Leopoldo Martinez.
The Democratic nomination will be decided in a special primary, but the date and method have not yet been announced.
No Republican candidates had publicly filed for the seat as of Thursday.
It remains unclear whether the special election will be held separately or aligned with Virginia’s primary or general election schedule. The winner will serve out the remainder of Connolly’s term, which ends in January 2027.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article primarily provides a straightforward report on the logistics and context surrounding a special election in Virginia, focusing on factual details such as the background of the vacancy, election rules, candidates who have filed, and the political landscape of the district. It includes information on the deceased representative’s tenure and electoral history without using language that promotes a particular ideological stance or political agenda. The tone is neutral, avoiding loaded or partisan terminology, and the coverage of candidates is limited to listing names without evaluative commentary. Therefore, the content adheres to neutral, factual reporting by describing the situation and the parties involved without contributing a discernible political bias itself.
Richmond, Virginia, lifted its three-day boil water advisory after two consecutive rounds of clean water tests, ending a disruption caused by low water pressure linked to clogged filters at the treatment plant. The city experienced a sudden pressure drop Tuesday, prompting emergency conservation and boil orders in several neighborhoods. Mayor Danny Avula pledged to address the aging infrastructure issues exposed by the incident. This follows a previous system-wide failure in January deemed “completely avoidable.” The city distributed bottled water to vulnerable populations and is working on new maintenance protocols amid calls for systemic upgrades totaling over \$63 million.
Richmond’s boil water advisory has officially been lifted after two consecutive rounds of water tests came back clean, city officials announced Thursday afternoon, ending a three-day disruption that once again exposed vulnerabilities in the city’s aging water system.
At 2:30 p.m., Mayor Danny Avula announced that the Virginia Department of Health had cleared the city’s water as safe for consumption following negative results from required compliance samples.
“I’m deeply grateful to the residents and businesses for enduring this unexpected boil water advisory,” Avula said. “Residents and businesses expect better, and I am as committed as ever to finding the problems and fixing them. Doing this work requires being honest about what’s working and what’s not and I pledge my ongoing commitment to doing just that.”
Testing began Tuesday night after a sudden drop in water pressure across large parts of the city led to emergency conservation measures and boil orders for neighborhoods served by the Ginter Park tank.
The first samples were taken at 7 p.m. Tuesday and came back negative by Wednesday evening. A second round collected late Wednesday morning also cleared, with final results received Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
“I’m encouraged that the first round of water sample results has come back with a negative result,” Avula had said Wednesday evening. “Some parts of Richmond are still under a boil water advisory as we await the second sample test, but this is very promising. We’re hopeful for full clearance soon and are so grateful for everyone’s patience and care.”
Residents and businesses across impacted areas — including the Fan, Byrd Park, Carytown, Brookland Park, Jackson Ward, Oregon Hill, and parts of Southside — can now resume normal water use. Food service operations are being directed to state guidance on how to safely reopen.
“This is a sign that we must reevaluate and improve our processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” City Council President Cynthia Newbille said, praising the city’s emergency response but calling for systemic improvements.
The boil advisory was triggered by an operational failure early Tuesday morning when clogged filters at the city’s water treatment plant led to low or no pressure across the system.
Internal records obtained by WTVR indicate that a May 12 maintenance request to clean plate settlers — filters that remove sludge — was postponed two days later because operations staff said “this was not a good time.”
“These plates are critical,” engineer Joel Paulsen told the station. “If they’re not cleaned, sediment overwhelms the system and clogs the filters.”
City officials have confirmed high turbidity was to blame for this week’s filter failure but have not addressed whether the maintenance delay was a factor. Interim utilities director Scott Morris told city council Wednesday that a full root cause analysis will take several weeks and that new maintenance protocols are in development.
This week’s boil advisory followed a cascading system-wide failure in January that left large parts of Richmond and surrounding counties without reliable drinking water for several days. That event prompted a damning investigation by the Virginia Department of Health, which found the incident “completely avoidable” and cited “a long chain of preventable failures.”
In response to this week’s pressure drop, the city quickly resumed coordination with state health officials and ramped up emergency responses. This time, unlike in January, the city began delivering bottled water to nine high-priority populations — including hospitals, senior homes, public housing complexes, and childcare providers — distributing roughly 140,000 bottles since Tuesday.
Still, the incident is likely to draw renewed scrutiny to Richmond’s aging infrastructure and emergency preparedness. A 314-page report released in April identified more than $63 million in needed upgrades on top of $60 million already allocated in the city’s capital improvement plan. Among the recommendations: modernized electrical systems, automated emergency protocols, and a complete redesign of the clearwell overflow system.
That overhaul is now under a state-mandated corrective action plan following a second formal notice of violation tied to the January breakdown.
In the current situation, the city said it reached out early Tuesday morning to water customers in Chesterfield and Henrico counties to reduce pressure on the shared system. Avula noted that public alerts were issued later in the day because the city first had to assess the scope of the issue and coordinate a response.
Morris, the city’s interim Department of Public Utilities director, added that the coordination with surrounding counties “allowed us to have more time to recover the facility and then make a plan of action to move forward.”
Still, some residents expressed confusion as city messaging shifted throughout the day. An initial 9 a.m. statement downplayed the impact on drinking water, only for a full boil advisory to be issued a few hours later.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the boil water advisory in Richmond was officially lifted on Thursday, May 29, at 2:30 p.m., following two rounds of negative test results.
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article provides a factual and balanced report on the water outage in Richmond, Va., focusing on the event timeline, responses by city officials, and the infrastructure challenges faced. It includes statements from various city representatives, highlights official investigations, and notes calls for systemic improvements without adopting a partisan tone. The coverage neither explicitly criticizes nor defends a particular political ideology but centers on accountability and public service issues common to local governance.
www.youtube.com – 12 On Your Side – 2025-05-29 06:28:16
SUMMARY: Morning clouds and fog will dominate today, with a 40% chance of scattered afternoon showers mainly around 3 to 4 p.m. The rain from yesterday totaled 2 inches, well above normal for May 28, raising monthly and yearly rainfall totals. Tomorrow will be more productive with more sunshine, but a strong to severe thunderstorm threat exists late afternoon into evening between 5 and 10 p.m., including potential wind, hail, and possibly tornado warnings. Temperatures will reach near 80 degrees. Saturday brings afternoon showers with a 50% chance and highs in the mid-70s, followed by a dry, hotter pattern next week.
Morning clouds and fog, with a few afternoon showers
