Richmond celebrates major milestone in Byrd Park Reservoir rehabilitation project

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond officials are celebrating a major milestone in the rehabilitation of the city's over 100-year-old Byrd Park Reservoir.

On Monday, April 6, city leaders and Department of Public Utilities (DPU) staff came together to mark the completion of the new roof for Byrd Park Reservoir's west basin. In a press release, the city emphasized that this is an important step in the long-term project to rehabilitate the aging reservoir.

Byrd Park Reservoir, which was initially built between 1874 and 1876, consists of two storage tanks for finished water -- or water that is ready to drink. Per the city, it "plays a critical role in delivering safe, reliable drinking water across the region."

Concrete roofs were added to the two tanks, or basins, in the 1970s, but they are reaching the end of their useful life. In 2023, the city took the west basin out of service to start working on replacing that roof.

Byrd Park Reservoir, featuring the newly-installed roof on its west basin. (Photo: City of Richmond)

As of Monday, Byrd Park Reservoir's west basin can officially start to be refilled with finished water. This is a gradual process that will take several days, per the city. Once it's complete, the city will take and test water samples to make sure that the water is safe to drink before the basin is returned to service.

“This is certainly a historic moment for Richmond,” said deputy chief administrative officer for operations Al Wiggins in the release. “All capital projects are important, but for a 150-year-old facility that serves such a vital function to not only the city but the region, this project ranks among the highest — and one I’m especially proud of."

If you'd like to learn more about the Byrd Park Reservoir rehabilitation project, click here.

“I am incredibly proud of all the people who played a role in this significant effort,” said DPU director Scott Morris in the release. “Planning and executing projects of this scale takes years of design and construction. We know how critical this reservoir is to the region, and this is one of many investments we will continue making to ensure a reliable and resilient water system for years to come.”