Resources

Water Crisis Resources - Updated January 11, 2025

On January 11, the Boil Water Advisory was lifted.

Following the results of two rounds of clean laboratory tests by the Virginia Department of Health, the City’s water supply is confirmed safe for drinking. The Boil Water Advisories for Hanover, Henrico, and Goochland counties have also been lifted.

Please follow VDH guidelines on what to do after the Advisory.

Due to the winter weather advisory, the City’s Inclement Weather Shelter, operated by the Salvation Army (1900 Chamberlayne Avenue), will continue operations based on the weather. Additionally, two temporary inclement weather overflow shelters can be activated during this inclement weather event and will continue to operate as needed. Meals will be provided at all sites.

The two additional locations are:

  • Marshall Plaza, 900 E. Marshall Street, Richmond (single adults and families)

  • Richmond Police Department’s 2nd Precinct, 177 E. Belt Boulevard (single adults only)

*Note these two locations serve in an overflow capacity only. Single adult men and women in need should prioritize sheltering at the Inclement Weather Shelter located at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue.

Access the Water Crisis Resources Map, or scroll on this page.

**The guidelines and resources below were last updated on January 10.**

  • Updates from the City of Richmond (this link will take you to the City’s website)

    Para obtener actualizaciones en español, la Oficina de Participación de Inmigrantes y Refugiados de Richmond es un recurso: haga clic aquí.

    As water is being returned to homes, the City still asks that you limit water use until full pressure is restored for everyone. Continue to conserve water and follow the water safety guidelines for the Boil Water Advisory. To review these guidelines, please see below.

    The water coming through taps this morning is NOT SAFE TO DRINK until the City gives the all-clear. We are directing folks to the water distribution sites below, and if you need delivery, contact 311. If you have trouble getting through to 311, please message us.

  • As of 12:00 pm on 1/7, the City of Richmond has restored water production. However, water pressure will take at least several hours to build up before it can be distributed through the network. Residents are asked to continue conserving water when possible. The Boil Water Advisory will remain in effect for residents who have access to water until all required testing is complete and approved in accordance with drinking water quality standards. Until the Advisory is lifted, all residents should continue to boil water before consuming it.

    Follow these water safety guidelines:

    • Do not drink tap water during the advisory period.

    • Do not drink from water fountains in parks or public and private buildings connected to the Richmond water supply.

    • Throw away any ice made from tap water and sanitize ice machines or trays. This includes ice and water dispensed directly from refrigerators.

    • Do not use tap water to prepare drinks, juices, or fountain soft drinks.

    • Use boiled water for washing dishes or opt for disposable plates and utensils until the advisory is lifted.

    • Wash fruits and vegetables with boiled or bottled water instead of tap water.

    • Use boiled or bottled water for brushing teeth.

    • Only cook with tap water if the food will be boiled vigorously for at least three minutes.

    To conserve water, do the following:

    • Shorten shower times or avoid taking showers if possible.

    • Reduce the number of unnecessary toilet flushes

    • Postpone washing clothes until water service is fully restored

    • Use disposable plates or wait to wash until water safety is confirmed.

    • Inspect faucets, shower heads, and pipes under cabinets for drips and repair any leaks immediately.

    La ciudad de Richmond, en colaboración con el Departamento de Salud de Virginia, ha emitido un aviso de hervir el agua inmediatamente y hasta nuevo aviso para los residentes que reciben su suministro de agua potable por el sistema de agua de la ciudad de Richmond. Esto incluye a todos los residentes de la ciudad de Richmond. Es urgente que los residentes afectados tomen medidas de conservación inmediatamente y hiervan el agua antes de consumirla.  

    Funcionarios de la ciudad de Richmond piden a los residentes seguir estas recomendaciones de seguridad con el agua:

    • No beba agua del grifo durante el período de asesoramiento.

    • No beba de fuentes de agua en parques o edificios públicos y privados conectados al suministro de agua de Richmond.

    • Tire a la basura cualquier hielo hecho con agua del grifo y desinfecte las máquinas de hielo o bandejas. Esto incluye el hielo y el agua dispensada directamente de los refrigeradores.

    • No utilice agua del grifo para preparar bebidas, jugos o refrescos.

    • Utilice agua hervida para lavar los platos u opte por platos y utensilios desechables hasta que se retire la alerta.

    • Lave frutas y verduras con agua hervida o agua embotellada en lugar de usar agua de la llave.

    • Use agua hervida para cepillarse los dientes.

    • Cocine con agua del grifo solamente si los alimentos van a ser hervidos durante al menos tres minutos.

    Para ahorrar agua, haga lo siguiente:

    • Acorte el tiempo de ducha o evite ducharse si es posible.

    • Reduzca el número de descargas innecesarias del inodoro.

    • Posponga lavar la ropa hasta que se restablezca totalmente el servicio de agua.

    • Utilice platos desechables o espere a lavar los trastes hasta que se confirme que el agua es segura.

    • Inspeccione los grifos de la cocina y del baño, y las tuberías, en busca de goteras y repare cualquier fuga inmediatamente.

    Para obtener más información sobre los avisos de hervir el agua, visite la página web de preguntas frecuentes sobre hervir el agua del Departamento de Salud de Virginia.

    For more information:

  • *The following distribution sites are open from 10:30 a.m. with a scheduled closing time of 2 p.m.*

    • Annie Giles Community Center | 1400 Oliver Hill Way

    • Broad Rock Library | 4820 Old Warwick Road

    • West End Library | 5420 Patterson Avenue

    • Hickory Hill Community Center | 3000 E Belt Boulevard

    • Bellemeade Community Center | 1800 Lynhaven Avenue

    • Midtown Green | 2401 W Leigh Street

    • Pine Camp Community Center | 4901 Old Brook Road

    • Randolph Community Center | 1415 Grayland Avenue

    • Westover Hills Community Center | 1301 Jahnke Road

    • East End District Initiative (EDI) | 701 North 25th Street

    • Southside Plaza | 4100 Hull Street Road

    For more locations, see the Water Crisis Resources Map.

    Distribución de agua hoy (jueves 9 de enero)

    Horario: 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

    Sitios:

    • Biblioteca Broad Rock: 4820 Old Warwick Road

    • Biblioteca West End: 5420 Patterson Avenue

    • Centro Comunitario Annie Giles: 1400 Oliver Way

    • Centro Comunitario Hickory Hill: 3000 Belt Boulevard

    • Centro Comunitario Bellemeade: 1800 Lynhaven Avenue

    • Midtown Green: 2401 W Leigh Street

    • Centro Comunitario Pine Camp: 4901 Old Brook Road

    • Centro Comunitario Randolph: 1415 Grayland Avenue

    • Centro Comunitario Westover Hills: 1301 Jahnke Road

    • Iniciativa del Distrito Oriental (EDI): 701 North 25th Street

    • Southside Plaza: 4100 Hull Street Road

    Comparta esta información con sus vecinos y seres queridos que puedan necesitar agua.

    Para conocer más ubicaciones, consulte el Mapa de recursos de la crisis del agua.

  • Follow these instructions from the Virginia Dept. of Health to flush the water throughout your property once the Boil Water Advisory has been lifted. Please note that at the time this page was last updated, the Advisory is still in effect! Please continue to follow all water safety precautions until the City lifts the Advisory.

    1. Run outside taps for approximately 10 minutes to bring fresh water from the water main to your property.

    2. If you have any cartridge filtration systems treating the water coming into the house, replace the filter(s) before consuming.

    3. If you have a water softener treating the water coming inside, perform a regeneration/backwash cycle to bring fresh water from the property to the treatment system.

    4. Run all cold-water faucets for one minute to bring fresh water from the property or treatment systems into the cold-water plumbing inside. Start at the faucet closest to the connection of the water line into the house; proceed to faucets on lower levels; then upper levels.

    5. Clean any aerators on faucets.

    6. Run the hot water in a tub for 10 minutes to replace water in the hot water heater.

    More Resources:

    Siga estas instrucciones del Departamento de Salud de Virginia para dejar correr el agua en toda su propiedad una vez que se haya levantado el aviso de hervir el agua. Por favor tome en cuenta que en el momento de la última actualización de esta página, el aviso seguía en efecto. Por favor, siga todas las precauciones de seguridad del agua hasta que la ciudad levante el aviso.

    1. Abra los grifos exteriores durante aproximadamente 10 minutos para que llegue el agua fresca de la línea principal a su propiedad.

    2. Si usted tiene cualquier sistema de filtración de cartucho para el agua que entra en la casa, reemplace el(los) filtro(s) antes de consumir.

    3. Si dispone de un descalcificador que trate el agua que llega al interior, realice un ciclo de regeneración/lavado a contracorriente para llevar agua fresca de la vivienda al sistema de tratamiento.

    4. Abra todos los grifos con agua fría durante un minuto para que el agua fresca de la propiedad o de sus sistemas de tratamiento entre en las tuberías de agua interior. Comience por el grifo más cercano a la conexión de la línea principal de agua que entra en la casa; proceda a los grifos en los niveles bajos de la casa; luego a los niveles altos de la casa.

    5. Limpie los aireadores de los grifos.

    6. Deje correr el agua caliente en una tina durante 10 minutos para reponer el agua del calentador de agua.

    Más recursos:

    Limpieza de electrodomésticos después de un aviso de agua

This map shows the locations of water distribution sites, hygiene sites, meal sites, water and food donation sites, and sites urgently in need of volunteers that residents can access. Click the four corners icon in the top right-hand corner of the map to view it full-screen.

For RPS families who need assistance, please refer to the Winter Break Community Resources.

Southside ReLeaf will continue to update this map with resources during the water crisis. If you have a resource to add to this map, please email sarah@southsidereleaf.org.

Richmond Water Crisis Resources Map

Map Key:

  • Dark Blue markers = Water distribution sites

  • Purple markers = Hygiene sites

  • Yellow markers = Meal sites and community fridge locations

  • Orange markers = Water donation sites (donate water here)

  • Red star markers = Sites where volunteers are urgently needed

  • Green heart makers = Food donation sites (donate food here)

Tree Planting Guide and Care 

City Environmental Offices

  • Richmond Grows Gardens: The City of Richmond’s community garden program makes city-owned property available to residents for urban agriculture. The gardens under Richmond Grows Gardens host regular workdays, events, and may offer private or communal garden plots.

  • RVAH20: The City of Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU) launched the RVAH2O campaign to educate the community about ways to keep its waterways pollution-free and to achieve “cleaner water faster.”

  • Office of Sustainability: The Office of Sustainability works at a systems level to change the underlying policy and structural mechanisms within city government and the community in the areas of climate action, resilience, and equity. 

  • Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities: The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities is home to more than 170 parks, open spaces, athletic fields, playgrounds and tot lots.

  • Urban Forestry Division: The Urban Forestry Division (UFD) maintains approximately 120,200 city-owned trees and is responsible for planting approximately 2,000 new and replacement trees.

Mapping Tools

Educational Opportunities

The Richmond Tree Stewards are trained volunteers working to promote and improve the health of city trees so our urban forest will survive and thrive. Tree Stewards work closely with Urban Forestry and with other organizations interested in the health of our community forest. Southside ReLeaf provides scholarships to Southside residents for training. Stay tuned for more information to apply for the next Tree Steward Training Course.