Richmond DPU spends nearly $100K on billboards for campaign including safe drinking water message

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond's Department of Public Utilities spent nearly $100,000 on billboards for a campaign that included a message about the city's safe drinking water.

According to a department spokesperson, the department purchased billboards totaling "close to $100,000" for December 2023 through June 2024.

The spokesperson said a message about the city's safe drinking water was part of that campaign, and was due to end in June of 2024, but was displayed after that time.

The department said it was unaware that the campaign was running on digital billboards after the intended end date. When the department became aware, the spokesperson said the department requested the campaign's removal.

8News has asked the department when it was notified that the campaign was still being displayed on digital billboards and where the billboards are located. This article will be updated with that response.

The funds allocated for the campaign come to light following January's Richmond area water crisis that entailed a boil water advisory for multiple localities in the Richmond area, an issue with an excess of fluoride being released in city water and another boil water advisory for many Richmond neighborhoods in May.