Richmond Boil Water Advisory: The City of Richmond has issued a boil water advisory for several neighborhoods following a filtration issue at its main water treatment plant on Douglasdale Road.
The advisory, announced late Tuesday morning, comes after a problem with high turbidity—cloudy water caused by excess sediment—temporarily reduced the plant’s capacity to produce clean, filtered water. The issue affected the Ginter Park water tank, which supplies water to a large portion of the city.
Residents in impacted areas may experience either low water pressure or a complete loss of service. Neighborhoods under the advisory include Ginter Park, Byrd Park, Carytown, Brookland Park, the Fan District, Carver, Chamberlayne, Jackson Ward, Laburnum Park, the Museum District, North Side, Oregon Hill, Randolph, Scott’s Addition, Windsor Farms, VCU’s Monroe Park campus, and parts of downtown Richmond.
City officials are urging residents in these areas to boil all water before drinking, cooking, or cleaning. Additionally, all Richmond residents are being asked to conserve water as a precaution, as the impacted zone could expand depending on usage levels.
Mayor Danny Avula and officials with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) stated that response procedures have improved since the January 2025 water crisis, when a fluoride overfeed incident exposed communication failures.
This time, city crews followed new standard operating procedures and quickly alerted the Virginia Department of Health and other regional partners after midnight. The mayor commended the quick recovery in water production, though he acknowledged further improvements will be reviewed.
According to DPU, once water pressure is fully restored, crews will begin flushing the system before lifting the advisory. Until then, affected residents should continue boiling their water and monitor official city updates for when the advisory will end.
The city is also investigating the root cause of the filtration problem, with additional maintenance and communication training expected for treatment facility employees.
This marks another chapter in Richmond’s ongoing infrastructure challenges. City leaders have proposed $38 million in upgrades to the water system and a $12 per month increase in utility bills to fund necessary improvements.
As the city continues to modernize its aging water infrastructure, residents are urged to remain vigilant and prepared for updates on service reliability.