Richmond Mayor Avula invites nearby counties to plan formation of regional advisory group on water service

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond Mayor Danny Avula has invited neighboring counties to join the city in planning the future of the region's drinking water system with the goal of forming a regional advisory group.

According to a press release shared by the city on Friday, June 20, the goal in holding a joint meeting with regional partners would be to form a regional advisory group and "explore a path forward to ensure a strong and sustainable water infrastructure for all."

Neighboring localities that were invited include Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties.

The release said the advisory group would build on earlier conversations between city leadership and neighboring localities, while also seeing the future of drinking water in the region as both an "urgent challenge and a regional opportunity."

A city spokesperson said the advisory group will work together to identify regional challenges, align priorities and build consensus around strategies for ensuring the resilience of the drinking water system.

The group will reportedly hold a kickoff meeting in July. Work groups will be held with subject matter experts throughout the summer and fall to develop initial recommendations. The city said a final consensus report outlining key recommendations is expected in spring 2026.

In addition to including both elected officials and locality administrators, Avula has also invited all members of Richmond’s City Council and Henrico’s Board of Supervisors to convene a joint public meeting. The meeting will allow participants to speak openly about the needs and priorities of each locality.

Leaders of Henrico and Hanover counties met on Wednesday, June 11, to discuss water operations. Henrico officials initially began exploring the idea of expanding regional operations in February, as concerns over reliability and redundancy in the system grew.

In January, a power outage at Richmond’s water treatment plant left thousands without safe drinking water and led to a boil water advisory.

Then in April, an overfeed of fluoride into Richmond’s water system raised fluoride levels in Henrico and Hanover.

Most recently, in May, sediment clogged filters at the treatment plant, causing low water pressure in both counties. This was followed by a water main break in Richmond that affected Henrico’s water supply.