Posted April 30, 2025

~ Find out what the city is doing to manage speeding and learn how you can help ~

Richmond, VA – Get ready to hit the brakes on speeding! Join the City of Richmond’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and its many partners for an action-packed Speed Management Symposium on Thursday, May 22, from 4 – 6 p.m. at Main Street Station, 1500 East Main Street. This is our fourth symposium in two years, and we’re pumped to share how we’re working together to make our streets safer—plus, how YOU can get involved!

Discover game-changing programs like the Safety Camera Program where thirteen school zones on the high injury street network were treated last year.  Over 63,000 times, speeders were notified of their reckless behavior in a school zone during arrival and dismissal times when children are present.

Life is too quick to end.  Let’s shift our culture and be social to slow down together!

What to Expect:

1. Dynamic Presentations: Vision Zero, Richmond Connects, roadway safety projects, and Richmond Police insights
2. Info Booths: Connect with various city departments and non-profits, Richmond Police, VDOT, Bike Walk RVA, and more
3. Q&A Session: Ask away!
4. Heavy Refreshments: RSVP recommended at www.rva.gov/public-works/symposium

For more, visit www.rva.gov/public-works or email AskPublicWorks@rva.gov.

Follow us on X @DPW_RichmondVA for the latest updates.

Let’s make Richmond’s streets safer—see you there!

###

The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting; graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s 22right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1

The City of Richmond, Virginia, in 1966, codified one of the oldest continuously operating transportation safety commissions in North America - The Safe and Healthy Streets Commission (SHSC). Since its inception, the SHSC has advised the Richmond City Council on all transportation safety matters. The SHSC has a diverse membership and includes citizens, transportation safety professionals, a city council member, the Chief of Police, the Director of Public Works, the Superintendent of Schools, and the City Transportation Engineer.

The SHSC sets annual priorities focused on executive, legislative, budgetary, and cultural changes. These priorities work towards the Richmond City Council’s 2016 goal, backed by Mayor Stoney, to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries to ZERO by 2030. The SHSC’s annual priorities reflect the City’s commitment to Vision Zero, the Safe System approach (SSA), and Complete Streets policies. The SHSC adopted the twelve strategies and five supplemental planning needs, based on their set annual priorities, to improve Richmond’s built environment and strengthen the culture of safety. With its high-functioning Vision Zero organizational structure, Richmond is well positioned to implement these projects and supplemental planning activities that showcase the impact of the SSA using proven safety countermeasures and low-cost, high-impact strategies.

The Safe and Healthy Streets Commission (SHSC) adopted Richmond’s Vision Zero Action Plan in 2018 and is charged with monitoring and reporting progress on the Action Plan. The Mayor and the SHSC established a Vision Zero Task Force, made up of City department leaders, charged with implementing the strategies, projects, and policies set out in the Action Plan.

Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Reduces number of cards by over 80%, sets new restrictions on allowable purchases

Today, Mayor Danny Avula announced a reset of the City's p-card program. As of May 9, 2025, the number of City p-cards will be reduced by over 80% (from 320 to approximately 60), and the only allowable purchases will be those where public health, safety, and critical services would be disrupted if not allowed or where no other payment methods exist.

"P-cards are a best practice, but Richmond's p-card program needs a reset," said Mayor Danny Avula. "So, today, I'm turning off the vast majority of p-cards and placing new purchasing restrictions on the remaining cards. We'll take the next few months to reassess, retool, and reboot the program in an effective way that really serves Richmonders."

The reset will last at least 60-90 days during which the Department of Procurement Services (DPS) will redesign and then relaunch the p-card program.

During the program reset:

• The only allowable p-card purchases will be those where public health, safety, and critical services would be disrupted if not allowed or where no other payment option exists.
• No travel-related purchases permitted on p-cards. City employees will follow the existing travel advance/reimbursement policy.
• No Amazon purchases permitted on p-cards.
• No food purchases permitted on p-cards (excepting mission-critical, citizen-supporting programs like summer food programs or after-school programs).
• Department directors will no longer be issued p-cards, allowing directors to better focus on approval of purchases.

On April 22, 2025, DPS contracted with NIGP (the Institute for Public Procurement) to conduct an independent assessment of the City's p-card program. NIGP is a national organization that specializes in public procurement best practices, and, following their assessment, will provide DPS a set of recommended improvements to the p-card program.

"My team and I are absolutely committed to creating the most efficient procurement p-card program as possible — for the City of Richmond, the people we do business with, and the residents we serve." said Rene Almaraz, Director of the Department of Procurement Services.

DPS will immediately begin work on:

• Revising p-card policies and procedures based on the recommendations of the NIGP assessment
• Training staff on revised policies and procedures
• Implementing a third-party, AI-supported auditing tool
• Investigating additional revenue opportunities through the p-card programs rebate structure
• Evaluating alternate p-card providers, and, if there are significant benefits, switching card providers
• Updating related City policies like the ones regarding travel, discretionary spend, etc.

The reset period will end only after DPS staff has implemented updated policies, trained staff, and, potentially, changed card providers. The City of Richmond will make the updated p-card policies public when they are finalized.

Richmond, VA — The City of Richmond’s Water Treatment Plant experienced an issue on Wednesday, April 23 during installation of a new fluoride pump, which led to a temporary increase in the level of fluoride in the water system for a period of five hours. Prior to this event, the fluoride system was offline for repairs. During this period, drinking water produced by the Water Treatment Plant remained safe for consumption. 

Fluoride levels detected at the Water Treatment Plant and in the distribution network were reported for April 28. Current levels of fluoride range from 0.63 mg/L to 0.7 mg/L at the City of Richmond’s Water Treatment Plant. The City has proactively flushed where necessary and monitored the fluoride levels within the entire distribution system. Sample results for Tuesday, April 29, 2025 show that all areas of the distribution system are below 2.0 mg/L and ranged from 0.60 mg/L to 1.5 mg/L. The City has notified Virginia Department of Health that the fluoride levels within the distribution system have returned to below 2.0 mg/L.  

Fluoride is an element that may be found naturally in sources of drinking water, such as ground water. Fluoride has been added to drinking water by drinking water systems to improve dental health.  

For more information on fluoride and fluoridation levels, visit the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/office-of-drinking-water/fluoridation/.

For more information about fluoride and potential health effects, call the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).   

Posted on April 29, 2025

Additional errors uncovered; Director of Revenue Administration steps down; City offering reimbursement to residents incurring bank fees due to valid stopped checks

Richmond, VA — In March 2025, an administrative error led to approximately 8,300 of the nearly 60,000 one-time property tax rebate checks being issued to an incorrect payee ("Hartshorn Community Council"). Once aware of the error, Department of Finance Director Sheila White halted distribution of checks and immediately began an audit of the process.

In the intervening weeks, that process has uncovered several more errors:

• Rebate checks for owners who sold their property in 2024 were incorrectly sent to the current owners of that property.
• Approximately 156 rebates were issued for parcels that did not exist in 2024. The rebate only applies to 2024 property taxes.
• Due to the nature of the original error some correctly issued checks were also stopped.

The Department is in the process of validating the remaining checks. When that is completed rebate checks will be issued in line with the real estate tax rebate program.

Additionally, the City's Director of Revenue Administration, Jamie Atkinson, who oversees the rebate program, submitted her resignation on April 21, 2025. Senior Director Sheila White will now directly oversee the process to issue the remaining rebate checks.

Any resident who was charged bank fees attempting to cash a valid stopped check can submit a request for reimbursement via RVA311 by calling 311 or submitting a ticket online at rva311.com.

Once on the RVA311 website, follow the below instructions:

1. Click "Create New Request"
2. Click "Real Estate Taxes"
3. Click "Continue" through the pop-up window
4. Fill out the requested information including uploading a photo of the return check fee from your bank.
5. Click "Next"
6. Fill out your contact information, and click "Submit"

Impacted residents should submit their request by May 30, 2025.

About the Rebate Program: The one-time real estate tax rebate amount is calculated based on a four-cent reduction per $100 of assessed property value. For instance, a property assessed at $260,000 would yield a rebate of $130. This rebate is part of the "RVA Stay" initiative, which also includes measures such as monthly stipends for low-income renters and homeowners, and tax bill freezes for seniors and disabled residents. The rebate, approved by City Council in 2024, aims to provide financial relief amid rising property values and housing costs.

Posted on Monday, April 28, 2025

Richmond, VA — The City of Richmond's Water Treatment Plant experienced an issue on Wednesday, April 23 during installation of a new fluoride pump, which led to a temporary increase in the level of fluoride in the water system for a period of five hours. Prior to this event, the fluoride system was offline for repairs. During this period, drinking water produced by the Water Treatment Plant remained safe for consumption.

Fluoride levels detected at the Water Treatment Plant were 2.67 milligrams per liter (mg/L) which is below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 4.0 mg/L, the highest level that is allowed in drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The optimal target level of fluoride is 0.7 mg/L.

The fluoride levels detected today at the Hanover point of entry was 1.6 mg/L; the level at Henrico was 1.19 mg/L; the highest level at Chesterfield was 1.21 mg/L. Current levels of fluoride range from 0.4 mg/L to 0.7 mg/L at the City of Richmond's Water Treatment Plant. At no point did samples collected in the distribution system indicate the fluoridation level exceeded the MCL of 4.0 mg/L within the region.

Although the Department of Public Utilities is currently in the process of creating new standard operating procedures for the Water Treatment Plant, plant staff did not notify the Virginia Department of Health within the required 24-hour period.

"I'm disappointed with our failure to communicate. This incident damages the work we're doing to rebuild trust — not only with the residents of Richmond, but our communities, and our regional partners, including Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover. We must do better," said Mayor Danny Avula.

While long-term exposure to elevated levels of fluoride can be unsafe, this incident is considered an acute exposure. See below for language from the EPA for chronic fluoride exposures. Drinking water provided by the Water Treatment Plant remains safe to drink.

Special Notice

When there is a secondary MCL greater than 2.0 mg/L, waterworks are required to provide a special notice to customers. This special notice about the City of Richmond's drinking water serves to address the potential related to cosmetic dental problems that might affect children under nine years of age. At low levels, fluoride can help prevent cavities, but children drinking water containing more than 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride may develop cosmetic discoloration of their permanent teeth (dental fluorosis). The City of Richmond has tested the fluoride levels within the distribution system and confirmed that the level in the nine pressure zones for the distribution system are between 1.00 mg/L and 2.94 mg/L. The City is actively flushing the pressure zones where the fluoride mg/L is above 2.0.

Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine should be provided with alternative sources of drinking water or water that has been treated to remove the fluoride to avoid the possibility of staining and pitting of their permanent teeth. You may also want to contact your dentist about proper use by young children of fluoride-containing products. Older children and adults may safely drink the water.

Fluoride is an element that may be found naturally in sources of drinking water, such as ground water. Fluoride has been added to drinking water by drinking water systems to improve dental health.

For More Information

• For more information on fluoride and fluoridation levels, visit the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/office-of-drinking-water/fluoridation/.
• For more information about fluoride and potential health effects, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).