Henrico County, VA — In the wake of a major water crisis that affected neighboring Richmond, Henrico County officials have vowed to take significant steps to ensure the county’s water infrastructure is more resilient and less reliant on the city’s supply in the future.
Henrico County and Richmond share regional water resources through an agreement that has been in place for several decades. This arrangement was put to the test during the first week of January 2025, when a water facility failure in Richmond forced the city to declare a state of emergency and issue a boil water advisory. The advisory quickly extended to Henrico County, which led to widespread panic, with many residents facing water shortages, low water pressure, or potentially unsafe water.
Henrico County Manager John Vithoulkas explained at a Board of Supervisors meeting this week that the county acted swiftly in response to the crisis. County officials disconnected Henrico from Richmond’s water supply as soon as the advisory was issued on January 6. Efforts were made to reroute water from the county’s Three Chopt Road treatment facility, but those attempts failed. At the height of the crisis, more than 24,000 Henrico residents were without water, while thousands of others experienced low pressure.
Vithoulkas reflected on the crisis, acknowledging the significant impact it had on residents, particularly in the central and eastern parts of the county. “The underlying question, particularly from our central and eastern residents and businesses, is how will the county become more reliant on our system,” Vithoulkas said.
In response to the event, Henrico officials have committed to a long-term plan to make the county’s water system more self-sufficient. Vithoulkas announced that two firms—Whitman Requart & Associates and Aqua Law—have been selected to investigate the crisis and provide recommendations for improvement. The firms will examine a variety of factors, including a timeline of events, an evaluation of current infrastructure, and potential changes to the county’s contractual agreements with neighboring localities.
The consultants will also evaluate how to enhance the county’s water system, particularly in its eastern regions, to make it more resilient in the future. Henrico plans to review their findings in a report set to be delivered to the Board of Supervisors on February 11.
However, county officials stressed that this report is just the beginning of what is expected to be a multi-year effort to overhaul the water system. Vithoulkas acknowledged that making the necessary changes will take both time and significant financial investment. “It’s going to take years and millions of dollars to restructure the system,” he said.
The Henrico water crisis has underscored the vulnerabilities in the region’s shared water system and prompted local leaders to prioritize long-term solutions. As the county moves forward with its investigation and planning, Henrico residents can expect to see changes in the coming years aimed at preventing a similar crisis from occurring again.
