As dangerously high temperatures impact the region, the City of Richmond is taking a series of proactive steps to protect the health and safety of residents, visitors, employees, and first responders during the ongoing heatwave.

Extreme heat remains one of the leading weather-related causes of illness and death in the United States, particularly among older adults, young children, individuals experiencing homelessness, and those with chronic medical conditions. City officials are urging all residents to take precautions, stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, and check on neighbors, family members, and friends who may be especially vulnerable. 

“As part of the City's response, Richmond has activated cooling resources and is working closely with public safety agencies, community organizations, and service providers to help all residents stay safe throughout the duration of the extreme heat event,” said  Director of Neighborhood and Community Services Tiffany Ford. “Residents may find respite from the heat at one of many cooling centers, public pools, or Richmond Public Library locations.” These include: 

• The Salvation Army-operated cooling center at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue (open at 11a.m. on Thursday, July 2 through 8a.m. on Sunday, July 5. Note that the cooling center will temporarily close each morning from 8a.m. to 10a.m. for shelter cleaning, and will reopen at 10a.m., except on Thursday when it will initially open at 11a.m. 
• On Thursday, July 2, residents may visit Southside Place, the Community Resource and Training Center (CRTC), Richmond Public Libraries, and City public pools during regular operation hours. 

Additional information on cooling resources can be found at https://rva.gov/strategic-communications/news/stay-cool-summer-city-richmond 

The City is also taking measures to reduce its own impact on energy demand, recognizing that periods of extreme temperatures place a unique demand on climate control systems. As such, building automation systems in select City-owned properties will temporarily adjust setpoints to reduce energy demand. Employees have also been asked to do their part in reducing demand by turning off lights, unplugging non-essential equipment, and keeping exterior doors and windows closed, among other measures. 

Dogwood Dell Independence Day Celebration Cancelled   

After careful consideration of current weather forecasts and anticipated heat index values this weekend, the City has also announced the cancellation of its annual Fourth of July celebration scheduled for July 4, 2026, at Dogwood Dell. While the annual celebration is a cherished Richmond tradition and an important part of the Festival of Arts, as well as this year's commemoration of the nation's 250th anniversary, City leaders determined that proceeding with the event would present unacceptable health and safety risks for attendees, performers, volunteers, staff, and first responders. 

"The safety and well-being of our residents will always come first," said  Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Operations Al Wiggins. "We understand how much this event means to our community and appreciate the public's understanding and support. Although we are disappointed that we are unable to move forward with this year's celebration, this decision reflects our commitment to protecting the public during this prolonged period of dangerous heat." 

The City encourages residents who choose to celebrate Independence Day to do so safely by: 

• Staying hydrated and avoiding prolonged outdoor exposure during the hottest parts of the day. 
• Wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing and seeking air-conditioned spaces whenever possible. 
• Checking on elderly neighbors, family members, and others who may be vulnerable to heat-related illness. 
• Never leaving children or pets unattended in vehicles. 
• Following all applicable local and state laws regarding fireworks and practicing safe holiday celebrations. 

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities extends its sincere appreciation to the residents, community partners, sponsors, volunteers, performers, and public safety personnel who invested significant time and effort in planning this year's Fourth of July celebration. Their continued partnership helps ensure Richmond remains a safe, resilient, and connected community.  

Residents are encouraged to monitor City communication channels, including Richmond Ready , for information about cooling centers, heat safety resources, and any additional operational updates as weather conditions evolve. 

Additional information regarding heat safety resources and future City events will be shared through the City's official communication channels and will be collected at go.rva.gov/weather. 

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The City of Richmond has identified serious health and safety hazards at Legacy at Imperial Village, a privately-owned, market-rate apartment complex on Richmond’s Northside, and is requiring immediate corrective action by the property owner.  

Last week, City building inspectors, fire officials, and code enforcement staff were on site conducting inspections, documenting violations, and enforcing compliance with City health and safety requirements to protect residents.  

The City has been frequently engaged with this property and its owner since 2024, with multiple engagements dating back to 2017. We have previously issued notices of violations which the owner addressed within the required timeframe. However, new complaints continued throughout this spring and prompted last week’s additional inspections. Those inspections found widespread insect infestations, unsanitary food preparation areas, non-functional elevators, non-functional backup power systems, non-functional fire systems, and more.  

As a result, I am now singularly focused on ensuring the property owner immediately and adequately addresses the current life-safety hazards on the property and in each of the four occupied buildings. 

To that end, today we met with the property owners and managers and have issued a compliance plan that will require them to make corrective action on the most urgent issues and will establish clear deadlines for additional corrections over the next 30 days and beyond.  

Ultimately, the property owner is responsible for providing residents with safe, code-compliant housing, but the City’s responsibility is to protect the health and safety of residents through enforcement. We will continue to use the tools available to ensure the required repairs are completed as quickly and safely as possible. 

Richmond, VA — Beginning Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the City of Richmond along with Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan counties are implementing voluntary water conservation measures. In accordance with Richmond’s James River Regional Flow Management Plan, when average water flows drop to 1,700 cfs (cubic feet per second) for 14 consecutive days, voluntary conservation measures are implemented. Voluntary compliance of area customers will assist water treatment plants in the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County and Henrico County in providing water to all customers in the region while also meeting the James River Regional Flow Management Plan. 

During periods of voluntary water conservation, residents in the City of Richmond and surrounding counties are asked to voluntarily reduce water usage. While full reductions are listed on the below website, the majority of residents are impacted by the following lawn watering schedule: 

•    Monday – No watering  
•    Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday – odd property addresses may water 
•    Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – even property addresses may water 

The full list of conservation measures can be found at: go.rva.gov/droughtwatch 

Although localities are asking customers to conserve, our ability remains intact to produce and deliver safe drinking water to meet necessary use and emergency requirements of our communities in the region. The city and its regional partners will continue to monitor river conditions and will evaluate lifting voluntary water conservation when conditions improve.  

The recent dry weather and lack of significant rainfall in areas west of Richmond have led to this call for voluntary water conservation in the metro Richmond area. The Richmond region is supplied water by the James River basin, the largest watershed in the state. Water levels locally are affected when there are dry conditions and lack of rainfall within the drainage basin. 

Though we are specifically talking about low river levels and flows, water conservation should be an everyday practice for all residents and businesses. Conserving water is an important tool in reducing water demand. Water conservation tips can be found here: vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/office-of-drinking-water/water-conservation-tips/ 

For additional information, specific to localities, contact: 
County of Chesterfield Customer Service  804-748-1271 
County of Goochland Public Utilities 804-556-5835  
County of Hanover Customer Service 804-365-6024 
County of Henrico Customer Service  804-501-4275 
County of Powhatan Public Works 804-598-5764  
City of Richmond   DPU Customer Care 804-646-4646

About the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities
The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities provides natural gas, water, wastewater, stormwater and streetlight services to more than 500,000 customers in the Richmond metropolitan area. DPU is committed to safety, reliability and innovation in delivering essential utility services that support the city’s residents, businesses and environment.

The City is expanding its Safety Camera Program to additional intersections to support red-light enforcement efforts, reinforcing its commitment to improving traffic safety and reducing serious crashes at high-risk locations.

This update follows the initial program announcement in September 2025, with subsequent updates provided in January and May 2026. The program continues to expand as additional safety cameras are installed and activated at high-risk intersections. 

 Seven intersections currently have safety cameras installed and operational. As of June 29, 29,971 warnings and citations have been issued. These initial seven pilot intersections are: 

• 25th Street at Main Street
• Belvidere Street at Cary Street
• Chamberlayne Avenue at Brookland Park Boulevard
• Chamberlayne Avenue at Laburnum Avenue

• Hull Street and Warwick Road 

• Hull Street and Cowardin Avenue

• Commerce Road at Maury Street 

Three additional intersections in the pilot program will become operational soon:

• Hull Street Road & East Belt Boulevard
• German School Road & Midlothian Turnpike
• Mechanicsville Turnpike and Fairfield Way

A 30-day warning period for the red light enforcement will begin on July 1, 2026, at the intersection of Hull Street Road and East Belt Boulevard. During this period, motorists who run a red light at this location will receive a warning notice instead of a citation. Warning periods for the remaining two intersections are expected to begin later this summer.

After the warning period ends, registered vehicle owners who receive a red-light violation notice captured by these cameras will be issued a $50 citation, in accordance with the Code of Virginia.

“Every red light run is a preventable tragedy in the making.” said Andy Boenau, RDOT Director, “We’re sending a clear message that Richmond prioritizes safety over shortcuts, and we’re using every tool available to eliminate traffic-related serious injuries and to save lives.”

Drivers should:

• Slow down, especially as lights turn yellow. Yellow means prepare to stop – not speed up
• Stop fully at red lights. Entering the intersection after the light turns red is a violation.
• Pay attention and avoid distractions.
• Plan ahead and leave earlier to provide additional time

Red-light running causes hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries across the country each year. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than 1,000 people are killed and more than 100,000 are injured each year in crashes involving drivers who run red lights. Cities that implement safety cameras have seen fatal red-light running crashes drop by as much as 21%.

For more information on Richmond’s safety camera program, visit rva.gov/police/safety-camera-program.

For more information on Vision Zero, visit rva.gov/public-works/vision-zero

Richmond, VA  — The City of Richmond Department of Finance will be setting their systems for the new fiscal year beginning at 9 p.m. today, June 30th. 

Residents and business owners are advised that, during this required system rollover, the City of Richmond will be unable to process financial transactions.

Payment processing will resume promptly at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1st.