‘I need ALL the assistance!!!!’: Henrico told Avula of Richmond’s fluoride spike, not his own team
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Mayor Danny Avula found out about the fluoride spike in Richmond's water via a text from Henrico County's county manager -- not from his own team.
Communication issues between the city and localities dependent on its water system originally became apparent during the January water crisis, when Richmond failed to promptly notify those counties, as well as the relevant state agencies, about a catastrophic failure at its water treatment plant.
These concerns returned to the forefront of conversation after "unknown amounts" of fluoride were added to the city's water system after a pump installation error on Wednesday, April 23 -- but the public did not know until Monday, April 28, after the counties of Henrico and Hanover issued statements.
They said Richmond had not informed them of what was happening -- instead, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) did. The VDH itself learned of the situation from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM).
Richmond later shared that even its own Department of Utilities (DPU) did not know of the issue until Sunday, April 27, as water treatment plant staff failed to report it.
As first reported by the Richmond-Times Dispatch, text messages exchanged between city leadership indicate further communication breakdowns. 8News received these texts from the city through a records request.
DPU director Scott Morris and then-interim chief administrative officer Sabrina Joy-Hogg first learned of the fluoride spike "after 10 p.m." on Sunday, per those messages.
Morris received texts from Doug Towne, the water plant's superintendent, about how someone claiming to be a city employee called the Chesterfield County Police Department and reported that Richmond had "poisoned the water with fluoride."
A screenshot sent to Morris by Matt Longshore, director of Hanover's DPU, details this police report, where the caller reportedly said an "equipment malfunction" at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23 had resulted in additional fluoride being released into Richmond's drinking water.
The caller said his supervisor was "aware of the situation," adding that it "does not appear anyone is doing ..." then the screenshot cuts off.
Sabrina-Joy Hogg received texts around the same time from Steven Willoughby, the director of emergency communications for Richmond, letting her know that VDEM had contacted him about fluoride levels rising in the city's water system.
However, neither of them alerted Avula that night. He instead received a text from Henrico county manager John Vithoulkas at about 10:43 p.m. on Sunday, expressing frustration that the county had learned about the fluoride spike from the VDH and not from Richmond.
"We are your largest water customer Danny," Vithoulkas wrote. "If there was a problem with those tanks - we were not advised and if so - I don't understand. I will reach out in the morning. I just don't get calls like this on a Sunday evening."
Avula replied soon after, saying he hadn't heard "anything about it."
Just before 7 a.m. on Monday, Avula texted Morris and Joy-Hogg about what Vithoulkas had told him. Joy-Hogg answered by saying she and Scott had learned Sunday night.
"I was going to contact the counties this morning," she added.
Several other texts were exchanged by various city officials as they coordinated a public response, including the press release they ultimately issued.
In one exchange, Avula is offered "fluoride messaging assistance" by a colleague.
"I need ALL the assistance!!!!" reads his reply.
Texts sent and received by Mayor Danny Avula about fluoride spike in late April. (Images provided by the city of Richmond.)
As of the time of reporting, fluoride levels have stabilized within Richmond's water and the water treatment plant's fluoride system is fully operational for the first time since January, after it was damaged during water crisis flooding.
The city was hit with several alleged violations from the VDH relating to this incident. It has reportedly made several changes to its standards and practices in an attempt to prevent such a thing from happening again.
