Richmond to clean Potterfield Bridge after 2024 sewage leak

State of play: The city last month entered into a consent order over the leaky pipe that caused an "ongoing sewage release" into the river in July 2024.

• The leak prompted the state health department to issue a no-swimming advisory for much of the James, effectively closing the river for two weeks.
• The city initially blamed a failed pipe for the leak, but per Virginia Department of Environmental Quality records recently obtained by WTVR, the cause was actually that bypass pumps were being filled with the incorrect fuel.
• A lack of preventive maintenance and processing issues at the city's main wastewater treatment plant in 2024 also contributed to the issue.

Follow the money: DEQ slapped Richmond's Department of Public Utilities with a more than $48,000 fine over the leak.

• Yes, but: As part of the settlement with the state, the city can save more than $40,000 if it also cleans up woody debris, including eight or nine trees, trapped under T. Pott.
• Doing so would qualify as an environmentally beneficial project, per DEQ.

What's next: The city has 90 days from last month's consent decree to finish the cleanup and pay the roughly $6,000 fine.