More than 100 water mains break in Henrico in just over 3 weeks
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Henrico County's water woes are not over yet. While the recent water crisis may be over, the county has seen more than 100 water main breaks in just over three weeks. On Monday, Jan. 6, a malfunction at Richmond's water treatment plant dealt a heavy blow to both the city itself and multiple surrounding counties served by Richmond's water system, including Henrico. For six days, some residents had little water -- while many others had none at all. In Henrico, there was a bit of a divide. The western part of Henrico is primarily served by county water, while the eastern part is served by Richmond's water system. This meant that, when the crisis hit, easterly residents were most impacted when city water service was cut off. The county has since doubled down on efforts to separate itself from Richmond's water system. It's the consequences of that water crisis -- as well as very cold temperatures -- that officials said caused 45 water mains to break between noon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 13. PREVIOUS: No water again? Nearly 70 water mains break as water service tries to return to Richmond area 8News has since learned that, in the week and a half that followed, that number has more than doubled. Between noon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, Henrico has seen 110 water main breaks, according to its Department of Public Utilities (DPU). Most have been fixed. As of 1 p.m. Friday, 16 water mains are still broken. Here's where they are located: 1600 block of Careybrook Drive 2300 block of Carr Lane 9600 block of Timber Pass 4300 block of 8th Street 20 block of Countryside Lane 1700 block of Shewalt Circle 3900 Block of Pegasi Road 11350 block of Abbots Cross Lane 8900 block of Three Chopt Road 8000 block of West Broad Street 900 block of Bevridge Road 4300 block of Cox Road 350 block of Azalea Avenue 100 block of Woodhall Drive 1500 block of East Laburnum Avenue 8300 block of Whistler Road Bentley Chan, the director of Henrico DPU, previously told 8News that, when the water crisis hit, Henrico's water system was understandably emptied. Filling it back up -- especially in frigid temperatures -- can cause problems, even if it's done with care. Air bubbles had filled the system. This, in addition to the temperature shock of the water re-entering the pipes -- which, while cold, was warmer than the pipes themselves -- created "water hammers," or significant exertions of force. The Henrico DPU continues to work to restore all impacted water mains. ALL COVERAGE: Richmond Area Water Crisis 8News has been working to get updated water main break totals from other localities. Hanover County's DPU reported two total breaks in the same timeframe, while Goochland County reportedly had none. The city of Richmond's DPU has not responded to several attempts, by phone and by email, to get similar information. While Petersburg was not impacted by the water crisis, 8News had learned of multiple water main breaks across the city in January. A city spokesperson told 8News that officials are still working on getting that data together.
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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Henrico County's water woes are not over yet. While the recent water crisis may be over, the county has seen more than 100 water main breaks in just over three weeks.
On Monday, Jan. 6, a malfunction at Richmond's water treatment plant dealt a heavy blow to both the city itself and multiple surrounding counties served by Richmond's water system, including Henrico. For six days, some residents had little water -- while many others had none at all.
In Henrico, there was a bit of a divide. The western part of Henrico is primarily served by county water, while the eastern part is served by Richmond's water system. This meant that, when the crisis hit, easterly residents were most impacted when city water service was cut off.
The county has since doubled down on efforts to separate itself from Richmond's water system.
It's the consequences of that water crisis -- as well as very cold temperatures -- that officials said caused 45 water mains to break between noon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 13.
8News has since learned that, in the week and a half that followed, that number has more than doubled. Between noon on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, Henrico has seen 110 water main breaks, according to its Department of Public Utilities (DPU). Most have been fixed.
As of 1 p.m. Friday, 16 water mains are still broken. Here's where they are located:
- 1600 block of Careybrook Drive
- 2300 block of Carr Lane
- 9600 block of Timber Pass
- 4300 block of 8th Street
- 20 block of Countryside Lane
- 1700 block of Shewalt Circle
- 3900 Block of Pegasi Road
- 11350 block of Abbots Cross Lane
- 8900 block of Three Chopt Road
- 8000 block of West Broad Street
- 900 block of Bevridge Road
- 4300 block of Cox Road
- 350 block of Azalea Avenue
- 100 block of Woodhall Drive
- 1500 block of East Laburnum Avenue
- 8300 block of Whistler Road
Bentley Chan, the director of Henrico DPU, previously told 8News that, when the water crisis hit, Henrico's water system was understandably emptied. Filling it back up -- especially in frigid temperatures -- can cause problems, even if it's done with care.
Air bubbles had filled the system. This, in addition to the temperature shock of the water re-entering the pipes -- which, while cold, was warmer than the pipes themselves -- created "water hammers," or significant exertions of force.
The Henrico DPU continues to work to restore all impacted water mains.
8News has been working to get updated water main break totals from other localities. Hanover County's DPU reported two total breaks in the same timeframe, while Goochland County reportedly had none.
The city of Richmond's DPU has not responded to several attempts, by phone and by email, to get similar information.
While Petersburg was not impacted by the water crisis, 8News had learned of multiple water main breaks across the city in January. A city spokesperson told 8News that officials are still working on getting that data together.
