[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6539844,"mediaKeyId","3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e","parentId",3558771,"title","DPU director: compliance tests due; boil-water advisory may be lifted after tomorrow's results","audioSeconds",1508,"startMs",118000,"endMs",1626000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e&start=118&end=1626","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e/thumbnail_118000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6539844/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/DPU-director-compliance-tests-due-boil-water-advisory-may-be-lifted-after-tomorrows-results","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6539844-cbb7d6a3e04e3ca67f96a2453f6e45be/orig.mp4?Expires=1770655062&Signature=QK-NMHM8NMGWq9pVhHkpMv1dN4LCUTG-9ug4Lt8~H00-c8CYRZXpNoiJZBnk8I-L1irSB4zFcrndMPTkQSbHwPNAdeA5lOmd5zCs~x8AGDyeRX01JOMmz9nnA0CciBMXPL3YJr1SDsoTW5ay5-3gMVJAWnQN0QQ7CAx6X3TWaAezrkms2IfXNsTTr9GsLPAiNzYsr8R9S5mZAsJd~0bQ5Pl0DQ~CUCTHaRJL0HI3~mEQDaeJI0X~W4EBNN37Gv6fWbZ3gmNVrSKbGWoVqvChNQlPqGRmD3HfgiOQKaPGNPgW5bcXnBGYzp1tdugNf5ktlarb9tkWLI03RxN1nGK8Dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richmond City","date","2025-05-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) told the Governmental Operations standing committee that production at the city's water treatment plant has recovered to roughly 60–65 million gallons per day and that laboratory results expected tonight and tomorrow will determine whether the boil-water advisory can be lifted.

DPU Director Scott Morrison said the system reached about 20 pounds per square inch (psi) recovery shortly after 6 p.m. the previous evening and that the first required compliance sample \"will be coming out of the incubator, roughly around 09:00 tonight,\" with a second required sample completing its incubation the following afternoon. \"So we'll know shortly in the afternoon time tomorrow if we can lift the boil water advisory,\" Morrison said.

Why it matters: The advisory affects residents' use of tap water for drinking and cooking until the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) compliance samples test negative. Morrison told council members the plant is functioning and that turbidity values from filters were \"within normal acceptable ranges,\" but four filters remain offline for repair and manufacturers' parts are on order.

Morrison said crews routinely perform backwash sequences — longer operations that purge sediment from filter media — and that the recent event involved multiple filters needing sequential backwashes. \"If you have multiple filters go out simultaneously, it takes a much long protracted period of time to recover,\" he said, and added that the plant operators were able to restore production later the same evening.

Council members asked why an oxidation system had been offline since December; Morrison said he did not know the reason and would research the matter. On reservoir capacity, he said Bird Park Reservoir holds about 55 million gallons and that it was operating at roughly half capacity during construction (\"about 26-ish or 27 [million gallons]\"). He contrasted that with the Ginter Park tank, which he said is roughly a 1 million gallon tank and therefore cannot compensate for the reservoir's reduced storage.

In response to repeated questions about whether multiple recent incidents (January outage, a fluoride-level event, and the current advisory) indicated systemic maintenance failures, Morrison said DPU has introduced standard operating procedures and improved communications since January. \"We have to develop these SOPs that we've been developing. We have to do training,\" he said, and committed to providing council members with a timeline for a root-cause analysis \"over the next several weeks.\"

Council members raised concerns about public notification, saying many residents in affected districts reported not receiving direct city alerts. Morrison said the department issued press releases and briefings to regional partners and that it will notify the public when lab results are complete. \"If everything comes back negative, that'll be a lifting of the water advisory,\" he said; if a sample is positive, Morrison said DPU had already prepared an additional sample to shorten the time to a conclusive result.

What remains unresolved: Morrison said he would research why the oxidation system had been offline since December and return to council with that information. He also said the four filters out of service were being worked on and would be returned to service when parts arrive. The department pledged a root-cause analysis and further updates to council and the public following tonight's and tomorrow's lab results.

Ending: Morrison emphasized that improvements have been made since earlier incidents but acknowledged more work remains on SOPs, training and communications. Council members said they expect quicker, clearer public notification and a near-term report on root causes and corrective steps once VDH test results are available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richmond City - Governmental Operations Standing Committee Meeting - May 28, 2025 1:00 p.m. - May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Richmond Department of Public Utilities said the water treatment plant is producing 60–65 million gallons per day, but the city will wait for two Virginia Department of Health compliance samples — one finishing tonight and one tomorrow — before deciding whether to lift a boil-water advisory.","taxTitle","Richmond City (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",5755,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6539830,"Urban Forestry outlines master plan kickoff, ARPA plantings and a new planting strategy",806,4524000,5330000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e&start=4524&end=5330","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e/thumbnail_4524000.jpg","/articles/6539830/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Urban-Forestry-outlines-master-plan-kickoff-ARPA-plantings-and-a-new-planting-strategy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6539830-d49d139c1844f7d625583885ff3edae2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770655062&Signature=gD9AAU6mlM-MSBR4Wz~zpnjTKJR4I78T7lmG-7MIviawGtLWm8PXYe7CPB433hMwqov6QuC1i8We7cJiBIekv1TE4G6RYHY5BuV4fNUX0fCtH64bCBa0qWr2BRQjh23qoWJwTNEXX4r5OUUwHwEdD2xtIQniDdXwd6mMSIbKWFGzK9OTO37a-KKUV64NzZuTRtXwzvyOMvX69mU-huvHuuZAsppdzG77RwpoDf-7i3Wu2o5CzTNnatni3Pihi7M~mUJO4jFDon~Vaoqr6LeENCbQodzqGOJiNNoXaNh73ZGtusckE7n-PFNR-qA~Q-WGsTLtve8sz6Wb4RNyoQ11lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Urban Forestry staff told the Governmental Operations standing committee they will begin a four-year urban-forest master plan this summer, will continue ARPA-funded tree plantings, and plan to modernize maintenance and planting practices to address urban heat and stormwater concerns.

Dr. Terrain Richardson, operations manager for Urban Forestry, introduced the division and said the operations team and planning team together manage inspections, storm debris response, permit review and community outreach. Richardson said the division averages roughly 230 tree inspection requests per month and aims to inspect most requests within five business days when weather and staffing allow.

Michael Webb, urban forester and planning-division lead, said the master plan will update the last canopy assessment (2010) and set 10–15 year planting and maintenance goals. \"This is a 4 year project that's gonna encompass 10 to 15 year goals for the urban forest management of the city of Richmond,\" Webb said. He added that the plan will include a community-engagement phase and an implementation roadmap that addresses budget, staffing and ordinance changes.

Planting and funding: Webb said the division has planted about 950 trees so far using ARPA funds and expects to plant about 1,000 more by the end of 2025. He flagged rapidly rising nursery costs and noted species diversification targets: \"based upon our research and understanding of the trees, the species that you should have in a community is that you shouldn't have more than 10% in terms of any species that you do plant within your community.\" The presentation also referenced a new state-level legislative mechanism, available as of March, that allows localities to create a tree-canopy bank to accept payments from developers who cannot meet planting/quota requirements.

Operations and equity: Webb noted urban heat vulnerability maps that show lower canopy and higher heat vulnerability in parts of the North Side, South Side and East End, and said the master plan will prioritize plantings where they will mitigate heat and stormwater impacts most effectively. Staff also described tree stewards and nonprofit partners who augment city work and three primary contractors used for larger removals and emergency work.

Ending: Council members asked about ARPA-funded 'gateway' beautification work and the new beautification superintendent role. Richardson and Deputy Director Torrance Robinson said the superintendent will focus on planting and landscape maintenance for gateways and other beautification projects while the urban-forestry operations team prioritizes higher-elevation tree work and emergency response. Staff said they will proceed with the master plan kickoff and follow up on questions about specific ARPA allocations and contractor roles.","Department leaders said an urban-forest master plan will begin this summer, that the city has planted about 950 trees with ARPA funds and expects to plant another 1,000 this year, and that updated canopy mapping and proactive maintenance cycles are priorities.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6539835,"General Services: $295 million deferred maintenance estimate; FY26 maintenance budget covers roughly 4% of need",213,3364000,3577000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e&start=3364&end=3577","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e/thumbnail_3364000.jpg","/articles/6539835/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/General-Services-295-million-deferred-maintenance-estimate-FY26-maintenance-budget-covers-roughly-4-of-need","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6539835-6cb1631dfe4d261d098eb04784658af7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770655062&Signature=MEHWGAgU6pRF8N03jvlhjgfQVjQhDXInZr~pnrcnPckW4Jqh~ETY4~CZxqolQA9tLf-263-QIxJ4RVE6G9TfPpIq9d02S9Sk9TOPqvXAlcFK1eJF9SYUcnRKfe-prq8rbrSlo74-ccJboeo7GAkQmFdtIIZzWuqlN-u7dDzzQsZXODKWLBvawyXu8Z2dkYmZ5Nz9CyYlDSgKBMmWACY9Y97IppgHunX6fWvLSRISyoV-uMv2bi1ZsOPngEJHP8PYRRzxITJy2AdSMIkhYCfDQ4nK3ujujg3~Pk2XHOd~PaBv-XnvKaKlY3ErLDAU48dXjARB49LyP6msukI8ff6oUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of General Services briefed the Governmental Operations standing committee on the city's facility maintenance needs and the status of a new, consolidated capital maintenance program.

Gail Johnson, director of General Services, said a facility-condition assessment completed in February 2019 identified roughly $295 million in deferred maintenance when adjusted forward using a 3% inflation estimate. DGS is updating assessments and implementing new asset-management software to prioritize work and track deferred-maintenance costs in real time.

Johnson said DGS maintains about 74 facilities and that roughly 30% of maintenance work is performed by in-house staff; the department currently has 18 skilled maintenance staff but estimates it would need about 62 to maintain the facility portfolio to standards. The FY26 generalized capital maintenance program was approved at $16.1 million total; Johnson said $11 million of that is dedicated to general-services facilities, and that sum covers only about 4% of the overall estimated deferred maintenance need.

Key problem areas: Johnson listed City Hall, the John Marshall Court Building and the Main Library as among the most deficient facilities in prior assessments. She described common deferred-maintenance drivers as aging mechanical systems (chillers and boilers), riser valves for building HVAC distribution, elevators and roof systems. On some large items (for example, replacing all riser valves in City Hall), she said the department evaluates whether to extend life with targeted repairs or to budget for full replacement, and that some decisions are reviewed alongside plans for potential new buildings.

Operations and staffing: Johnson said DGS is working with Human Resources to revise job specifications and recruit tradespeople (electricians, plumbers and custodians) and is exploring partnerships with technical centers to expand the trade pipeline. The department plans to bring facility maintenance into DGS in FY26 and to deploy the new software to generate maintenance plans and ROI estimates for large projects.

Ending: Council members asked for further breakdowns of the FY26 generalized capital maintenance allocations and for the department to provide ROI and operating-budget savings estimates tied to capital investments; Johnson agreed to provide a more detailed FY26 plan for committee review.","The new Department of General Services (DGS) reported an estimated $295 million in deferred maintenance from a 2019 facility assessment (inflated to current dollars) and said the FY26 generalized capital maintenance appropriation will provide $11 million for DGS facilities, covering a small portion of that total backlog.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6539839,"Gas Works briefing: adopted 5.25% rate increase, plan to hire internal crews to accelerate pipe work",571,1693000,2264000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e&start=1693&end=2264","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3558771-a61dacb8aeddd9bbfd637e19d5afe21e/thumbnail_1693000.jpg","/articles/6539839/Richmond-City-Independent-City/Virginia/Gas-Works-briefing-adopted-525-rate-increase-plan-to-hire-internal-crews-to-accelerate-pipe-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6539839-926ffc7ffe6735824f5b1ca30f739fa4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770655062&Signature=YHfoJb240MnEpKwfEqAWqZLVKpXT28RqJoix-SE5rcsM90kMCAU4vTCQjClAQBW7601z0i2NaX-w9woiVGx0VvqX9sAkr7ha4W~hTNGtUuxMaK6uDd3fkR5cVEzk4ITrvSXXY2Ekd2bC-S18NjzApHrobRuKBcXac~~U7mJt-QyigrXtjemnU2qtxhXWk66JYHcfTFpq~VArB3bkItDINCSESCOFMbiJpOYNb7cPYFT-uB1Loxr~V~WMAUXfb66xEZxdtLHJvQG09npqI~SonYYuCjFdoKBdfjWcSpqKiZYi8tL9TudzDu-cKEdNKcybaFXVIMK4kQ4~viim9nHn1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richmond Gas Works staff told the Governmental Operations standing committee that adopted rate adjustments and federal grants will be central to rebuilding capital reserves and accelerating pipeline replacement and repairs.

Dan Reifenberg, who led the Gas Works presentation, said the utility serves roughly 28,000 customer meters, manages nearly 2,000 miles of main and about 1,000 miles of service pipe across city and county localities, and is projecting revenue growth under recently adopted rates. He described a financial plan covering 2026–2030 that assumes the rates council adopted (a 5.25% increase described in the presentation) and federal PHMSA grants. \"With the adopted rates, we hope to get to the 1.52 [debt coverage] to cover the debt,\" Reifenberg said.

Staffing and capital plan: Reifenberg outlined a proposal to move some contracted construction work in-house. The finance model assumes starting two internal four-person crews per year and ramping to 18 crews over nine years; the presentation said internal crews become cost-effective by the second year because initial equipment purchase is the primary upfront expense. Presentation slides showed a one-time equipment cost in year one for internal crews and an ongoing lower annual cost thereafter when compared to contracting for equivalent work.

Grants and reserves: Reifenberg said Gas Works has won PHMSA grants covering roughly $65 million (presentation reference) and that the utility's financial policy targets include a $30 million operating reserve and a capital-reserve build-up. The presentation noted limited current liquidity and increased operating costs from renewed contracts.

Council concerns and clarification requests: Council members asked about distribution of rate increases and the utility's reserve priorities versus capital investment. One council member said the size of the proposed operating reserves felt \"tone deaf\" to ratepayers and asked why reserves were prioritized over capital investment. Reifenberg and staff responded that consolidated revenue bonds historically cover multiple utilities and that reserve targets support favorable bond ratings and long-term stability. Council Member Gibson asked whether the 5.25% adopted rate applies annually; Reifenberg confirmed the presentation reflected the adopted rate assumptions in the plan.

Operations and system priorities: Reifenberg described the remaining replacement backlog for cast and ductile iron and noted federal funding and staffing are limiting factors in accelerating replacements. He said there are not enough qualified contractor crews regionally, and the internal-crew plan is intended to increase in-house capacity over time. On pipeline pairing or abandonment, staff said they will not leave pipes that serve customers in place without maintenance; unused mains without customers can be abandoned.

Ending: Council members asked for additional details to review return-on-investment assumptions, the cost-of-service calculations that trigger customer contributions for extensions, and the utility's long-range master plan for gas given changing energy-use trends. Reifenberg said the utility will provide details on cost-of-service methodology and follow up on questions about bond structuring and reserve targets.","Richmond Gas Works staff presented a five-year financial plan and a nine-year staffing proposal to bring construction crews in-house, citing PHMSA grants and rising operating costs. Officials said adopted rates and federal grants are intended to rebuild capital reserves while addressing aging mains and leaks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DPU director: compliance tests due; boil-water advisory may be lifted after tomorrow's results

Urban Forestry outlines master plan kickoff, ARPA plantings and a new planting strategy

General Services: $295 million deferred maintenance estimate; FY26 maintenance budget covers roughly 4% of need

Gas Works briefing: adopted 5.25% rate increase, plan to hire internal crews to accelerate pipe work