RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond Public Schools will remain closed this week as the city struggles through a citywide water crisis.
"As water pressure increases, we are closer to water being restored. However, there are several steps that need to happen before we can reopen schools: Pressure has to be restored, then the Department of Health has to test the water twice, sixteen hours apart. Then we at RPS have to test all of our boilers and plumbing, and fix anything that might need to be fixed. All of that is going to take some time, and of course we want to make sure that all of the water is safe to use and drink in our schools when we bring students and staff back to the building," Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said in an email to the community. "All this to say, unfortunately I have decided we are going to have to close for the remainder of the week. I take this decision extremely seriously, and it pains me to close schools. I try to do everything I can to keep our doors open. I believe that schools are the place for our young people to be at all times, but I also believe strongly, and have made a commitment to you, to do everything that is humanly possible to keep our students and staff safe. Safety dictates right now that we reopen on Monday. I thank you for your grace and your understanding. I know this will cause inconvenience for some families."
Henrico and Hanover County schools are also closed Thursday.
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