Posted June 17, 2025

RICHMOND, VA – The city launched an ARPA funded beautification initiative last fall to create and improve gateways throughout the city. Seven of eight locations have been completed. The final location on Broad Street between 4th and 7th streets will feature unique lighting and landscaping. The city expects completion of this project by late fall in 2025.

There will be intermittent lane closures and there will be some minor delays when travelling through the area.

We’re Social! For updates on city-related projects, activities and events visit us on X @DPW_RichmondVA

###

The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk, and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting; graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

Web-based tracker to offer increased transparency and accountability

Richmond, VA -- In a step toward building trust, responsibility, and accountability, the City of Richmond today launched a new web-based progress tracker that offers up-to-date information about the ongoing overhaul of the City's purchasing card (p-card) program.

The program, which was reset earlier this year, is in the midst of a ground-up overhaul intended to produce a replacement that is firmly rooted in industry best practices and which keeps fiscal accountability and maintaining public trust front of mind.

"We know that government accountability must be earned, every day" said Mayor Danny Avula. "That's why we didn't just pause the p-card program. We took a close look at what wasn't working and chose to rebuild something stronger and more transparent that better serves our City. This tracker is our way of inviting the public into that process and showing, in real time, the work we're doing to fix it."

The tracker is a one-stop shop for all program rebuild news and will include the latest announcements and press releases, as well as status updates on key reform processes including recruitment efforts for new personnel, updated language and implementation for policies and procedures, updates to training materials, to name a few.

"The new p-card program will have rigorous guardrails, comprehensive user training, and clear lines of accountability" said Director of the Department of Procurement Services Rene Almaraz. "This tracker is one more layer of transparency that we are committed to providing as we work to identify and fix what is not best serving the people of Richmond."

The new progress tracker can be found here: https://www.rva.gov/procurement-services/p-card-progress

Richmond, VA - Today, the City of Richmond received a Notice of Alleged Violation (NOAV) from the Virginia Department of Health for the localized Boil Water Advisory (BWA) in May 2025, which impacted customers in portions of the City's distribution network.

Immediately after City and DPU leadership learned of the operational issue that caused filters to clog, which impacted water production, actions were taken to ensure active communication and coordination with VDH and regional partners. DPU worked to ensure procedures for maintenance, operations, and communication were reinforced - including those outlined as recommendations in the NOAV to address all compliance concerns, which VDH acknowledges that the City has already committed to address or already addressed. DPU will continue to evaluate further enhancements.

To learn more about water regulations, visit the City Hall 101 explainer. To learn more about the work ahead and a preview of a 10-year plan for improvements to modernize utility service and ensure long-term sustainability, read here.

The City remains committed to working with VDH and regional partners to ensure it meets its mission to deliver safe and clean drinking water to the region.

• June 16, Notice of Alleged Violation, Virginia Department of Health
• June 16, Memo to File: May 2025 Boil Water Advisory at City of Richmond, Virginia Department of Health

Richmond, VA- The City of Richmond's Parking Enterprise Division recently earned status as an Accredited Parking Organization (APO) with Distinction from the International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI), joining an elite class of the top organizations in the parking, transportation, and mobility industry.

APO is a designation for organizations that recognizes best practices in responsible parking management and operations, customer service, professional development, sustainability and access management, safety, data security and risk management, and more.

"This designation is earned each and every day by the men and women of our Parking Enterprise Division" said Richmond Director of General Services, Gail Johnson. "I have the privilege of witnessing this commitment to excellence firsthand and am thrilled to see their hard work and devotion recognized in such a way."

"This achievement is the top benchmark of success in our industry, and it follows a comprehensive documentation and review process," explained Shawn Conrad, CAE, CEO of the IPMI, the organization that sets the standards for APO Accreditation and Accreditation with Distinction. "Only best-of-class organizations can meet the demanding level of excellence required to gain accreditation."

To earn the APO Accreditation, an organization must demonstrate its commitment to ongoing evaluation and improvement by implementing industry best practices. Organizations work with third-party reviewers to organize and present evidence of accomplishment of more than 100 criteria in 14 distinct categories, in addition to 25 required criteria. To earn the next level of accreditation, APO with Distinction, the City of Richmond had to meet more than 60 additional exceptional and progressive best practices across those same categories.

"Parking isn't flashy, but it's vital to our City," said Parking Enterprise Division Deputy Director Lynne Lancaster. "We are proud to have earned this designation and will work, in all ways, to build upon a legacy of best-in-class service for Richmonders and visitors alike."

Pictured: (L to R) Yvette Neville, SP+; Steve Bergin, City of Richmond; Lynne Lancaster, City of Richmond; Gail Johnson, City of Richmond; Justin Rodgers, SP+; Brett Munkel, SP+ are presented the distinction at the annual IPMI meeting in Louisville, KY

Richmond, VA – Today, the City of Richmond entered into an Order of Consent (Consent Order) with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) for the water event in January 2025. The order summarizes findings and alleged regulatory violations, documents the corrective actions the City has already taken in response, and confirms a Corrective Action Plan to which both VDH and the City have agreed. 

Since January’s water event the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has been implementing changes that promote continual improvement while working toward modernizing the City’s Water Treatment Plant. The agreement notes DPU’s efforts to hire highly skilled and credentialed leadership with direct oversight of plant operations as a key corrective action among the 155 items already addressed or acknowledged. Additional key completed items include:  

• SCADA and Filter UPSs upgraded for runtime capacity 
• Performing Practical tests on UPSs to ensure functionality 
• Established routine testing protocols 
• Established storm response protocols 
• Submitted for review by VDH SOPs on plant operations 
• Updated filter effluent valve control logic 
• Replacement and repair of filter effluent valves 
• Ongoing work on backup generator integration 
• Repairing leaks and establishing additional secondary containment 
• Commenced redesign of overflow pumping 
• Replacement or repair of finished water pumps 

“Since January, my team and I have worked to improve the resilience of the City’s Water Treatment Plant and the region’s water system. We’re taking the recommendations made by our independent investigators at HNTB and those from the Virginia Department of Health seriously, and we’ve already checked a large number of items off the list,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but I know that, together with our partners, we can build a more resilient water system that our region deserves.” 

DPU recently shared an update on the work ahead with a preview of a 10-year plan for improvements to modernize utility services and ensure long-term sustainability, along with a progress update and path forward outlined in the attached memo. 

Water Plant Modernization Road Map 

Phase 1: Foundation Building (2025) 
Critical Infrastructure Upgrades 
High Priority VDH Compliance Items (including those noted in the Consent Order) 
Comprehensive Systems Assessments 
Robust Preventative Maintenance Program 

Phases 2 – 3: Core System Modernization (2026 – 2027) 
Replace SCADA as a Phased Implementation 
Upgrade Primary Treatment Equipment 
Build Redundant Power Systems 
Replace Critical Aging Distribution Mains 

Phases 4 – 5: Resilience & Optimization (2028-2029) 
Complete Automation of Backup Systems 
Full Redundancy for Critical Components 
Advance Water Quality Monitoring 
Major Distribution System Improvement 

Phases 6 – 10: Long-Term Sustainability (2030-2034) 
Remaining Infrastructure Needs 
Smart Water Technology 
Industry Leading Reliable Metrics 
Fully Modernized Systems 
 

DPU Director Scott Morris remarks, “DPU has been diligent in improving our water system over the last several months, this is reflected in actions taken to date in the consent order. We remain committed to working with VDH to meet our collective mission of delivering safe, clean, and reliable drinking water.  We know the road ahead will be challenging and we remain unwavering in our commitment to improving our water system’s reliability that will benefit generations to come.” 

• Memorandum to Richmond City Council, DPU Director Scott Morris
• Order by Consent Issued to the City of Richmond, PWSID No. VA4760100, State Board of Health