Richmond was largely unprepared for water crisis, per new report

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The city of Richmond was not adequately prepared for emergency events like January's widespread water crisis, according to a new report -- echoing the findings of previous, similar investigations. Recommendations within it hope to prevent similar chaos in the future.

On Wednesday, June 11, the city released the findings of a third-party "incident response assessment," which explored how Richmond leaders handled both the January water crisis and the winter storm that preempted it.

Following the first winter storm of 2025, a widespread water crisis hit the Richmond region. From Jan. 6 to Jan. 11, city residents -- as well as those in Henrico, Hanover and Goochland counties -- had little to no water. In the aftermath, Richmond has been under significant scrutiny.

The purpose of this assessment is to help the city better respond to any future crises -- like natural disasters, public health emergencies and more -- by learning from the past.

The report begins with a list of five "strengths" and five "areas for improvement" that emergency management consulting firm Hagerty Consulting identified when looking into these crisis events.

The firm identified the following emergency response-related strengths:

• Real-time planning & adaptability
• Strong internal teamwork
• Transparent leadership public messaging
• Improved situational awareness over time
• Ad Hoc coordination for large distribution effort

These strengths represent "continual improvement in operations stemming from strong partnerships and adaptability of response personnel," per the report -- meaning it's likely these strengths, in part, reflect changes made following the crisis.

The firm then identified the following areas for improvement:

• Gaps in pre-disaster planning, training and exercising pre-incident
• Unclear command and control structures
• Inconsistent communications and notification processes
• Lack of situational awareness and common operating picture
• Duplication of efforts and uncoordinated resource management

Keep scrolling for a more detailed look at how Richmond performed across various areas of emergency response.

Planning: the 'foundation' for emergency response

Planning "lays a foundation" for emergency response and is therefore a vital part of the process, per the report.

The firm explained that planning played a "crucial role" in how quickly and effectively Richmond was able to mobilize resources and staff to provide relief for residents impacted by the water crisis. For example, the city was able to distribute over 180,000 liters of potable water through its 11 distribution centers.

"However, gaps in planning led to disorganization in resource requests and coordination, an unclear command structure, confusion over roles and responsibilities and inconsistent documentation practices during the incident," the report reads.

A "common theme" across staff interviews was that "additional planning and training" were needed, the firm said.

On the whole, the firm said the city performed well in some areas of planning, including:

• The departments with established emergency operating procedures responded quickly and effectively, with their staff "seamlessly" transitioning into their emergency roles even when they were outside of their day-to-day.
• The city effectively engaged with vulnerable groups and made sure they had the resources they needed.
• The Richmond Fire Department was prepared to fight fires without running water.
• City employees were consistently fed while carrying out their emergency-related duties.

As described above, there were several issues with planning. These included:

• Against procedure, RVA 311 calls were tracked using an "ad hoc spreadsheet" because "the city did not initially understand the complexity and impact of the incident." This created significant confusion and extra work for city staff.
• While some staff were able to easily take on their new roles, many were not due to a lack of training, making completing their required tasks difficult.
• Staff were unfamiliar with web-based tools and services meant to be used during emergency response, creating "inconsistent information tracking" and a "duplication of efforts."
• Staff said they felt "overworked and undervalued." Due to a lack of clarity on shift times, many worked for more than 12 hours at a time, "which led to exhaustion."
• The city's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) was "not utilized as intended," creating confusion. EOP contact information was also largely missing or outdated.
• The city lacks formal or updated critical emergency management plans, including:
  • A Mass Casualty Incident plan
  • A Family Reunification Center plan
  • A Family Assistance Center plan
  • A Point of Distribution plan
  • A Resource Management Plan
  • A Crisis Communications Plan
  • An Active Threat/Shooter plan

Several pages near the end of the report are dedicated to outlining recommended improvements the city can make to be better prepared for future emergency events.

"By using the insights gained from the winter storm and water crisis to improve planning, training and resource allocation, the city aims to enhance its response effectiveness and ensure the continuity of essential services for residents," a city spokesperson said.

This assessment is an addition to the city's after-action report on the water crisis, which was released in April. That report found the city was severely underprepared for January's winter storm and had significant communication issues, among other problems.

8News continues to read through the 86-page report. Updates to this article will be provided throughout the evening.