By: Danny Avula; Posted on: Jan. 21, 2025

That was not how I was expecting to start this administration!   

On January 5, just days after I was sworn in as Mayor with an ambitious plan to build a thriving city that leaves no one behind, the City of Richmond was hit by the first big winter storm of the season.  

A second storm six days later dropped even more snow on us. 

Monday morning, as my kids were gearing up to go sledding, I jumped into a plow truck with a member of our Department of Public Works team as he treated city streets with rock salt and sand to keep roads passable for drivers.  

That same day, we learned that the winter weather delivered another serious challenge: a storm-related power outage that led to flooding at the city’s water treatment plant, loss of function of our filters and pumps, the eventual loss of water service to the City and portions of the region, and a boil water advisory being issued as a public health precaution.  

The next 144 hours were an all-hands-on-deck whirlwind as we worked around the clock to restore water service.  Systemwide pressure levels necessary to get water flowing were achieved by Thursday, and two rounds of testing confirmed on Saturday that our water is safe to drink. 

Throughout that time, city government staff from across the enterprise mobilized to meet the needs of Richmonders. We activated our Emergency Operations Center to centralize and coordinate our response efforts. 

We quickly stood up a citywide distribution network to get packaged water into the hands of people throughout the week. 

With more snow inbound, our goal was to ensure that water would continue to flow in the event of another power outage.  We deployed additional personnel (city staff, contractors, and outside experts), resources, and equipment to the water plant heading into last weekend. We also implemented new processes and protocols to closely monitor water system function and staff expectations. 

Those steps have helped keep the system running. 

While restoration efforts succeeded, there is no doubt lives were impacted by the outage.  

To address that, we are taking a series of actions to help families, individuals and small businesses in need. 

I made an initial pledge of $25,000 from the Richmond Forward Together PAC to support recovery efforts and encourage people to give if they can. 

The City continues to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in eviction diversion programs administered by non-profit partners to help vulnerable families stay in their homes. 

We are planning a future Water Recovery Week as a good will promotional effort to encourage people to patronize businesses and restaurants and to donate to relief efforts.  

The City is also filing with the U.S. Small Business Administration in pursuit of economic injury disaster loans for small businesses and is applying to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to recover City money spent during the emergency response. 

And we have temporarily extended City bill payment due dates by 10-days to provide people with a grace period in light of recent events. 

These steps are important in supporting our community, but there is more we need to do.  The public wants, and deserves, answers as to how this water crisis happened. 

Better understanding what occurred at the water plant will be a focus of the thorough, transparent independent investigation this administration has promised to deliver. Having a fresh set of eyes to provide an unbiased view of events as they transpired will offer a clear assessment of the situational performance of plant machinery and personnel. We are moving rapidly, but not recklessly, towards that goal. And we are doing so in collaboration with City Council. 

Even as we pursue that work, it is important to reflect more broadly on what this episode reveals. 

This moment has taught us that we need to think comprehensively about emergency planning and disaster preparedness.  

We must examine our critical infrastructure systems in the City to understand how they work, and what points in the system are aging or have the potential to malfunction under stress.  

This requires a full evaluation of the strengths and vulnerabilities of these systems and their ability to withstand weather events, natural disasters, and other potential calamities.  

This water crisis has underscored the fundamental idea that a thriving city is one that reliably delivers essential services to its people. 

But a thriving city take other forms as well.  

During the campaign, I pledged to focus on strengthening resilience in our City by pursuing policies that promote inclusivity, thriving neighborhoods, the health and well-being of children and families, and an effective and accountable City Hall. 

That work must, and will, continue. I am unwavering in my commitment to build a city that leaves no one behind.  

We have our work cut out for us, Richmond. 

As we approach it, I am encouraged by, and profoundly grateful for, the efforts city staff and community partners who stepped up to help in a time of uncertainty. 

And I am determined to do everything in my power as your Mayor to keep our community safe. 

Just as our team did during the water outage, we are ready to roll up our sleeves and dig in to get the job done. 

Let’s get to work! 

via: Danny Avula: Richmond, we have our work cut out (Richmond Times-Dispatch)