‘We are in this together’: Youngkin provides updates on water crisis, winter storm response
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va (WRIC) -- After issuing a state of emergency last Friday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin has provided updates about the winter storm that has continued to impact Virginians across the state. "I know people are angry and they're frustrated and they're tired," Youngkin said. “I would expect that that whole process could lead into Friday at the earliest, before the water is the back again and off of a boiled water advisory, and everything is beginning to look back to normal.” ALL COVERAGE: Richmond Area Water Crisis Youngkin said that, as of the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 8, around 12,000 homes are still without power -- but, at the peak of the winter storm's effects, 120,000 Virginians were without it. He said he doesn't know specific numbers regarding functional tap water. "There are people who don't have water in their homes," Youngkin said. "They can access the water distribution sites." He said there are 11 distribution centers in Richmond, with lots of supply coming from companies like Walmart and Amazon. He said if you need water, you can also dial 211. MORE: School officials, city councilmembers assist Richmond residents in need of water "We're expecting to give out 1,300 pallets of water by the end of the day [Wednesday]," Youngkin said. To assist with the crisis, the National Guard has now been deployed to help with water distribution. Youngkin said five National Guard teams were pre-positioned to deal with the storm's aftermath when he called the state of emergency last Friday, but they weren't sent out until Monday night. "We felt that we had full, full capabilities in place," he said. "Over the course of Tuesday, this situation has lasted a lot longer than people originally had thought, so the guards have now been in motion since last night." Ahead of the next storm, Youngkin said hospitals are still a big concern in Richmond, but National Guards have brought in around 20 water tankers for patients and doctors. RELATED: What is ‘water production’ and where is my water? Bridging gap between rhetoric and what Richmonders are actually seeing "There was a real, dire concern that the hospitals in the city of Richmond were going to have to start diverting patients and, even worse, evacuating patients." He said drivers are likely to see trucks out on interstates, main and secondary roads now -- still dealing with last weekend's storm, but mostly preparing for a new one that's expected this weekend. "We do expect that the overall precipitation will be lower than what we've just seen -- but let me tell you, weather forecasts change, and I think this is going to be another serious storm," Youngkin said. "So we are one asking everyone to first, stay informed, be prepared and heed our cautionary messages again." MORE: ‘We don’t have the answers,’ Water crisis in Central Virginia leaves residents and businesses struggling For now, the most important thing you can do is preserve water and, once the storm hits, stay off the road. "We saw traffic volumes on Monday and Tuesday that were 30 and 40% less than what they normally are," he said. "VDOT [the Virginia Department of Transportation] needs that. We had moved about 9,000 pieces of equipment from VDOT and we had pre-treated our interstates." With snow freezing over into ice and sleet, Youngkin said Virginia saw just under 900 crashes since Sunday's winter storm, with two deadly crashes resulting in three fatalities. "Our hearts pour out for these families," he said. RELATED: Hanover woman, 4-year-old daughter dead after car runs into pond in King William Youngkin said that, on Wednesday, 72 school districts -- including Richmond, Hanover County and Henrico County, among many others --were called off. As Virginia braces for the next storm, Youngkin said Hanover, Henrico, Richmond and Chesterfield County have brought in their own emergency management and mobilized emergency vehicles. Youngkin also addressed price gouging under a state of emergency, noting that the Attorney General has said it is not allowed. "We are in this together," Youngkin concluded, urging Virginians to remain safe as recovery efforts continue.
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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va (WRIC) -- After issuing a state of emergency last Friday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin has provided updates about the winter storm that has continued to impact Virginians across the state.
"I know people are angry and they're frustrated and they're tired," Youngkin said. “I would expect that that whole process could lead into Friday at the earliest, before the water is the back again and off of a boiled water advisory, and everything is beginning to look back to normal.”
ALL COVERAGE: Richmond Area Water Crisis
Youngkin said that, as of the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 8, around 12,000 homes are still without power -- but, at the peak of the winter storm's effects, 120,000 Virginians were without it. He said he doesn't know specific numbers regarding functional tap water.
"There are people who don't have water in their homes," Youngkin said. "They can access the water distribution sites."
He said there are 11 distribution centers in Richmond, with lots of supply coming from companies like Walmart and Amazon. He said if you need water, you can also dial 211.
MORE: School officials, city councilmembers assist Richmond residents in need of water
"We're expecting to give out 1,300 pallets of water by the end of the day [Wednesday]," Youngkin said.
To assist with the crisis, the National Guard has now been deployed to help with water distribution. Youngkin said five National Guard teams were pre-positioned to deal with the storm's aftermath when he called the state of emergency last Friday, but they weren't sent out until Monday night.
"We felt that we had full, full capabilities in place," he said. "Over the course of Tuesday, this situation has lasted a lot longer than people originally had thought, so the guards have now been in motion since last night."
Ahead of the next storm, Youngkin said hospitals are still a big concern in Richmond, but National Guards have brought in around 20 water tankers for patients and doctors.
"There was a real, dire concern that the hospitals in the city of Richmond were going to have to start diverting patients and, even worse, evacuating patients."
He said drivers are likely to see trucks out on interstates, main and secondary roads now -- still dealing with last weekend's storm, but mostly preparing for a new one that's expected this weekend.
"We do expect that the overall precipitation will be lower than what we've just seen -- but let me tell you, weather forecasts change, and I think this is going to be another serious storm," Youngkin said. "So we are one asking everyone to first, stay informed, be prepared and heed our cautionary messages again."
For now, the most important thing you can do is preserve water and, once the storm hits, stay off the road.
"We saw traffic volumes on Monday and Tuesday that were 30 and 40% less than what they normally are," he said. "VDOT [the Virginia Department of Transportation] needs that. We had moved about 9,000 pieces of equipment from VDOT and we had pre-treated our interstates."
With snow freezing over into ice and sleet, Youngkin said Virginia saw just under 900 crashes since Sunday's winter storm, with two deadly crashes resulting in three fatalities.
"Our hearts pour out for these families," he said.
RELATED: Hanover woman, 4-year-old daughter dead after car runs into pond in King William
Youngkin said that, on Wednesday, 72 school districts -- including Richmond, Hanover County and Henrico County, among many others --were called off.
As Virginia braces for the next storm, Youngkin said Hanover, Henrico, Richmond and Chesterfield County have brought in their own emergency management and mobilized emergency vehicles.
Youngkin also addressed price gouging under a state of emergency, noting that the Attorney General has said it is not allowed.
"We are in this together," Youngkin concluded, urging Virginians to remain safe as recovery efforts continue.
