‘Here we go again’: Richmond businesses, residents on edge as water problems continue

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond business owners say they’re still recovering from January’s week-long water outage -- and now, they’re facing déjà vu. A new boil water advisory issued Tuesday has reignited concerns across the city.

“It’s kind of like a haunting ghost now,” said LeTeshia Lesane, co-owner of restaurant Harlym Bluez. "It keeps kind of creeping back with the same issue."

LeSane said her restaurant closed down for a week during January's water crisis. The advisory issued Tuesday, May 27 was triggered by clogged filters at the city’s water treatment plant, leading to low water pressure in much of the city.

“What are we going to do? Like, can we continue sustain with this — with these kind of hits?” LeSane asked, frustrated that she had to close on Tuesday.

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For local businesses that rely on running water, even a short disruption can have lasting consequences -- in this, LeSane isn't alone. Up All Night Bakery owner Jonathan Highfield said he is also still trying to recover from January's crisis.

“Here we go again,” he said. "We moved on, but then it's like ... this is just salt in the wound."

In January, Highfield said the bakery lost an estimated $10,000 in sales after being forced to close for one week.

He did receive some assistance from the city through Richmond’s Small Business Recovery Grant. However, he said it didn’t come close to covering the full damage.

“I was able, fortunately, to get some [financial relief,]" Highfield said. "It was nowhere near — no, not even close to half of what I need to recoup back for those losses. And I'm not alone in that."

LeSane also applied to get money for Harlym Bluez's recovery -- but she was denied with no explanation.

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"In the first place, to be denied when you know that businesses are being affected — that’s just awful," she said. "And then for it to keep happening?"

Residents are also feeling the strain.

“I got lucky and I got my water yesterday because I had to,” said grocery shopper Tristan Hogan. “But for a lot of people, they're going to feel the pinch [to buy water.]”

That pinch was visible at grocery stores citywide. 8News visited Publix and Kroger in Carytown -- and both of them had jam-packed parking lots. Kroger had sold out of purified water bottle cases.

Both residents and business owners said the worst part is the uncertainty of when this advisory will lift, adding that it brings them fears that water could be completely shut off again, like it was for some in January.

“It’s like, literally, a waiting game -- but the bills don’t wait to get paid,” said one resident.

Highfield said Up All Night Bakery plans to be open through at least Wednesday, and LeSane said Harlym Bluez is "pushing to open, but heavily dependent upon if we actually have any water at all."

City officials said Tuesday night that, as long as there are no further issues, the boil water advisory could be lifted as early as midday on Thursday, May 29.