Posted January 12, 2025

Operations at the City of Richmond’s Water Treatment Plant continue to function as intended this weekend in the wake of the successful water service restoration effort. The system has maintained full pressure across the distribution network and reservoir levels are at the appropriate height to sustain normal consumer water consumption.

Additionally, the Water Treatment Plant continues to follow industry best practices to keep Richmond’s water safe and clean from harmful bacteria. When full water service resumed, Coliform bacteria and E. coli were absent and chlorine was detected across the entire water system, verifying the safety of Richmond’s drinking water.

Adding chlorine to drinking water is the primary way harmful bacteria are kept out of our drinking water systems. Recent water tests conducted at the water plant’s two finished drinking water basins – water in these basins is in the final stages of the treatment process prior to entering the distribution network that flows to homes and businesses – show that current Total Residual Chlorine (TRC) levels are above the required regulatory threshold. This means the water is safe for drinking.

At-home test kits measuring for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are not an indicator of water quality or bacterial contamination. TDS tests measure water’s ability to conduct electricity and are intended to provide customers an understanding of the hardness of their water. Total Dissolved Solids are considered a nuisance chemical by EPA Safe Drinking Water Act secondary standards with a Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level of 500 ppm. Nuisance chemicals are not considered health threatening – they only affect the aesthetic quality of water. Learn about TDS tests and more from the Virginia Department of Health.

On Saturday, Richmond Mayor Danny Avula announced the formal end of the Boil Water Advisory for the City following the results of two rounds of clean laboratory tests that confirmed the water supply is clean and safe for drinking. Boil Water Advisories for Hanover, Henrico, and Goochland counties were also lifted.

Residents should be aware that water coming out of faucets may temporarily be cloudy due to trapped air bubbles as the system continues to normalize across the city. This is not unusual, and it does not pose a health risk.

Learn more about the City’s response on rva.gov.