Richmond, VA – Mayor Danny Avula has initiated the formation of two strategic work groups aimed at planning for a sustainable and resilient water future in the region. This move underscores Richmond’s commitment to ensuring long-term, reliable water infrastructure through detailed analysis and regional partnerships.
The first group, led by Chief Administrative Officer Odie Donald and Director of Public Utilities Scott Morris, will focus on scenario planning. This includes evaluating capital investment needs, debt management strategies, and ratepayer impacts. External consultants such as Davenport Financial Advisors and Raftelis may be involved as necessary.
The second group consists of a regional collaboration among water utility leaders and technical experts from Richmond, Chesterfield County, Hanover County, and Henrico County. Their focus will be on operational planning and coordination. They will review capital improvement plans, evaluate rate models, coordinate potential state funding requests, and conduct joint tabletop exercises. This group aims to strengthen existing jurisdictional cooperation for better water infrastructure.
“These two work groups mark a critical step forward in building a stronger, more resilient water system for the region,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “Just today, we saw that spirit of collaboration in action as Richmond provided additional water to our neighboring locality during their planned maintenance.”
Today’s operation saw Richmond’s Water Treatment Plant increasing its supply to Henrico County during maintenance at Henrico’s facility. Both jurisdictions confirmed full reservoirs and storage tanks with close monitoring by system operators to ensure uninterrupted service.
“These work groups and real-time collaborations are exactly what it takes to meet the challenges of modern infrastructure,” said Richmond Director of Public Utilities Scott Morris.
Both groups have already convened to receive further direction and refine their meeting schedules.
