RICHMOND, Va. — If you have running water in Richmond, city leaders urge you to conserve it as the city's system gets back up to full pressure.
Richmond Mayor Danny Avula and Superintendent Jason Kamras gave an update on the city's ongoing water crisis at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. The city’s reservoir water level is currently seven feet and needs to hit a minimum of 10 feet to properly test if it is clean.
The mayor shared that parts of the Northside and the East End are beginning to see some water flow. However, he urged citizens to hold off on flushing, avoid washing dishes and doing laundry, and limit shower time to help the reservoir fill faster. Water should still not be consumed without boiling.
Superintendent Kamras went on to discuss the decision to keep Richmond Public Schools closed for the rest of the week.
The school district is partnering with Feed More to distribute pre-packaged meals to students for the rest of the week. They will provide more information on Thursday morning.
There is still no definitive timeline for when the entire city will see normal flowing water.
The city remains under a boil water advisory and may not have drinkable water until Friday, Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said in a Wednesday morning update on the ongoing crisis.
Avula, who took office Jan. 1, said Tuesday morning that he was hopeful water would be restored by Tuesday evening, but added he said so with "some trepidation having been through multiple stops and starts over the course of the night" Monday into Tuesday morning.
That trepidation proved warranted as an electrical panel failure at the water treatment plant Tuesday afternoon led to additional repair delays, according to the city.
According to officials with the city's Department of Public Utilities, a winter storm knocked out the water treatment plant's power around 7:30 a.m. Monday.
The backup generators turned on, but officials said a separate battery back-up and redundant system both failed.
That caused critical damage to the IT system, which is the brains of the whole operation.
It also led to filter gallery valves getting stuck, allowing water to flood into the basement where equipment is located.
Watch: How Richmond's backup systems failed, what took so long to tell residents
Richmond water distribution
The City of Richmond and American Red Cross began handing out bottled water on Monday to "vulnerable populations" in the city.
"Water was distributed in high priority areas including homeless services providers, public housing, and residences that house older adults. Targeted outreach and distribution to areas of high need and vulnerable populations will continue," a city spokesperson advised Tuesday morning.
Distribution sites were established around Richmond on Tuesday where neighbors lined up for water.
Watch: Neighbors line up for water during Richmond Water Crisis
Residents who are not able to leave their homes should call 804-646-7000 to get on the list for water delivery.
When will the water be safe to drink?
Richmond is working with the Virginia Department of Health and the boil water advisory will remain in effect until all required testing is complete and approved.
"The water will be drinkable once we've gone through our testing protocol with VDH," Avula said Monday. "Once we resume water pressure, we will start testing at different points, and then we do a follow up test 16 hours later. We do this in conjunction with VDH and the state lab, just to make sure that there aren't bacteria in the water. And so that's when we'll ultimately lift the boiled water advisory."
Watch: Richmonders without water for a second night speak out amid crisis
"The boil water advisory was issued with a focus on safeguarding public health. Boil water advisories, while not common, are a standard response whenever water pressure is impacted at treatment facilities. The last time the City issued a boil water advisory was in 2003 during Hurricane Isabel," the city advised.
Water safety and conservation tips for boil water advisory
Below is a checklist for safe water use during this time:
- Do not drink tap water during this boil water advisory.
- Do not drink from water fountains in parks, public or private buildings that receive water from the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities.
- Do not use ice made from water today. Discard the ice and sanitize the ice machine and/or ice trays. This also applies to water and ice dispensed directly from a refrigerator.
- Do not use tap water to make drinks, juices, or fountain soft drinks.
- Do not wash your dishes using tap water – use boiled water or use paper plates for the next few days.
- Do not wash your fruits and vegetables with tap water – use boiled or bottled water.
- Do not brush your teeth with tap water – use boiled or bottled water.
- Do not cook with tap water, unless your food will be boiled vigorously for three minutes.
Temporary water conservation tips:
- Eliminate or shorten shower times.
- Avoid unnecessary toilet flushes,
- Avoid washing clothes for as long as possible.
- Postpone washing dishes if possible.
- Check all faucets, showerheads and under cabinets for drips.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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