RICHMOND, Va. — The City of Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities has received violation letters from state and federal regulators in the past three months for problems at its Wastewater Treatment Plant and natural gas utility.
Richmond DPU operates five utilities: natural gas, water, wastewater, storm water, and electric street lighting.
On Jan. 6, its water plant, which provides drinking water, experienced catastrophic failures that led to a complete loss of water for residents, and then a boil water advisory.
A preliminary after-action report commissioned by the city, as well as initial observations from the Virginia Department of Health, and a 2022 EPA inspection found the water treatment plant did not have sufficient standard operating procedures, did not have sufficient training and planning, and deteriorating equipment.
In a Notice of Violation that was sent by Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to DPU on Nov. 25, 2024, a DEQ inspector found the following issues at the city’s wastewater treatment plant, which treats sewage and storm water before sending it back into the James River:
- Multiple pieces of equipment that did not work, like filters, digesters, mixers, and pumps
- Preventative maintenance task schedules not being met
- Parts of the plant in poor condition
- A lack of training for staff on spill response, spill prevention and control, and best management practices for operation and maintenance
- An outdated Operation and Maintenance Manual dating back to June of 2017 that did not reflect current operations, did not include employee training or staffing requirements for the plant to ensure effective operation
CBS 6 has also obtained a warning letter from the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) sent on Jan. 15 about safety violations at Richmond Gas Works, which operates the city’s natural gas utility.
An inspector found that between Feb. 8, 2023 and April 12, 2024 the city:
- Did not follow its own guidelines when installing a safety device that automatically shuts off natural gas if there is a significant gas leak
- On multiple occasions installed vents too close to a dryer vent, window and air conditioning unit creating a safety hazard where gas could build up in someone’s living space, or create a potential fire hazard
- Drilled too close to existing water and gas lines to install a new service line
- Failed to ensure technicians were qualified to perform the work they were doing
Councilwoman Katherine Jordan (2nd District) told the city’s new DPU Director Scott Morris that she wants to make sure all the city’s utilities are up to standard.
“If this had been Richmond Gas Works, it could have been a totally different type of disaster,” Jordan said at a Council meeting on Wednesday. “What else do we need to be worried about? Are we as resilliant and prepared as we need to be for all of our infrastructure?”
The city was supposed to respond to the DEQ by Jan. 10 about the violations found at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, but they requested an extension due to the water crisis.
On Feb. 14, Morris, who came directly from a job at DEQ, sent a response.
In his letter, he said:
- Preventative maintenance procedures and schedules were being updated
- Staff had received training on waht the DEQ was concerned about on three separate occasions in 2024, including two times after the DEQ inspection
- The Operations and Maintenance Manual is being updated
- Most of the pieces of equipment that were not working have been replaced or will be replaced soon
We asked DPU about the violations found in the gas utility, and we are waiting to hear back.
Morris told Council Wednesday that it will take time to “get all ducks in a row," but he is emphasizing making sure it is getting done.
Read the documents sent from the city to the DEQ below:
City's October response to DEQ
City's Feb. 14 response to DEQ
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky| Facebook| Instagram| X| Threads| TikTok| YouTube
