Henrico residents could see water pressure issues countywide

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- County leaders announced that Richmond's renewed water issues are officially impacting Henrico residents, with water levels expected to fluctuate countywide.

On Tuesday, May 27, several Richmond neighborhoods were put under a boil water advisory following issues at the city's water treatment plant that caused a drop in water pressure. That advisory remains in effect as of Wednesday, May 28.

Henrico, Hanover and Chesterfield counties -- which are all connected to Richmond's water supply -- were informed early on and were able to close off their systems from the city's. Because of this, water in the counties has remained safe to drink.

However, Wednesday morning, Hanover leaders reported that some residents may notice reduced water pressure as the county tried to accommodate the loss of water coming from Richmond.

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Concerns that Henrico may be experiencing something similar began around 2 p.m. Wednesday when the Richmond International Airport (RIC) reported that it had to close some restrooms due to low water pressure.

Just before 5 p.m., Henrico made an official announcement, saying that all county residents could experience variable water pressure as engineers with its Department of Public Utilities (DPU) make adjustments.

"[The engineers are working] to keep water flowing in all parts of the county, intentionally opening and closing valves as needed to keep the system above safe pressures countywide until the boil water advisory in Richmond is lifted," the county said.

Henrico's water is still safe to drink, per officials. Residents are also not expected to lose water entirely. However, if you do experience an outage, you should immediately contact the county's DPU at 804-501-5025.

"We appreciate the staff and leadership from both Richmond and Hanover County as the region works together to support the city’s return to full operation," the county said.

Richmond has taken its two necessary water samples from its water supply. If both come back negative for harmful bacteria, the boil water advisory will be lifted. This could be done as early as midday Thursday.