RICHMOND, Va. (October 21, 2025) — The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is helping residents stay warm and save energy this winter by distributing free weatherization kits to seniors age 65 and older. The kits will be available at three locations across the city this fall, while supplies last. 

Each weatherization kit includes energy-saving materials such as insulating weather stripping, draft-stopping outlet covers, and an energy-efficient light bulb. These simple items can help residents reduce drafts and lower heating costs during the colder months. 

Distribution events will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following dates: 

• Thursday, October 23— Southside Community Services Center, 4100 Hull Street Road
• Thursday, November 6 — East District Initiative, 701 North 25th Street
• Thursday, November 13 — Brookhill Azalea Shopping Center, 5300 Chamberlayne Road, Suite 3 

Kits are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. 

“Helping Richmond residents prepare for colder weather is an important part of our mission to serve the community,” said Rhonda Johnson, DPU’s Senior Public Information Officer. “These weatherization kits offer simple, affordable ways for seniors to improve comfort and reduce energy use at home.” 

For more information, visit rva.gov/public-utilities or follow Richmond DPU on social media at @RichmondDPU. 

Lane Opening – 3200 – 3400 blocks of Williamsburg Avenue

WHO:  City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (https://twitter.com/DPUStreetNews)  
 
WHAT: Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Project Completion and Traffic Pattern Update

WHEN:  

Monday, September 29 through Friday, October 3, 2025, from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.

Monday, October 6 through Friday, October 10, 2025, from 7:00 a.m. until 5 p.m.

October 13 through December 31, 2025, Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.

Weekends will not have flaggers, and the impacted area will only have eastbound traffic.

WHERE: 3200 – 3400 blocks of Williamsburg Avenue

PROJECT SCOPE:  Sewer Improvements

PROJECT IMPACTS: Starting Monday, September 29, crews will open one lane of flagger assisted westbound traffic at the 3200 – 3400 blocks of Williamsburg Avenue. This lane opening will be in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday through December 2025.  Outside of these hours the traffic pattern will revert to eastbound only traffic for this stretch of Williamsburg Avenue between Stony Run Road and S. 31st Street.

PROJECT BACKGROUND: The CSO Outfall 004 Improvement Project on Williamsburg Avenue, part of Richmond's Combined Sewer Overflow Interim Plan, involves installing a larger pipe, manholes, a relocated outfall into Gillies Creek, and control structures to better manage flow. Once complete, it is expected to prevent about 48 overflow events and 5.1 million gallons of overflow annually. The project is fully funded by a $100 million ARPA grant.

Construction milestones include near completion of the CSO regulator structure and successful construction of the large diameter pipe tunneling in Williamsburg Road and under the railroad crossing. Due to unexpected underground conditions, the completion date has shifted from January 2025 to December 2025, though the project remains on budget.

For these and other utility related updates follow us on Twitter @DPUStreetNews. 

For the most current and up to date information regarding emergency repairs, maintenance and road closures in your area, the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities encourages you to download CivicReady. Stay updated, stay informed, stay ready. 

The red arrow on the map above shows the segment of Williamsburg Avenue that is opening for the specified dates and times.

Some customers occasionally notice an unpleasant “rotten egg” odor coming from their tap water. While the smell can be concerning, the water remains safe to use. The odor can have several different causes, both inside and outside the home’s plumbing system. To help customers understand this issue and learn about possible solutions, we are sharing the American Water Works Association’s article “Common Customer Complaint: ‘My Hot Water Stinks’” by David J. Hack, originally published in Opflow (June 2000).

Common Customer Complaint: My Hot Water Stinks

This project will replace older cast iron water pipes with new and improved ductile iron water mains. These upgrades will improve water quality, increase fire flow availability, improve overall reliability, and establish additional redundancy throughout the system via additional looped connections. 

Westmoreland Place Water Main Renewal Project Newsletter - Volume 1

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is replacing deteriorated sewer service laterals along Forest Hill Avenue between Hathaway Road and Joe Brooks Boulevard. This utility work is a continuation of the sewer replacement project that was completed in the eastbound lanes of Forest Hill Avenue in 2024. The work zone will extend from Windsorview Drive to Shelia Lane along Forest Hill Avenue. 

Forest Hill Avenue Sanitary Sewer Lateral Replacement Work Project Newsletter- Volume 1