Scoop: Richmond region could soon lift water conservation request
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Richmond region officials could lift their request for voluntary water conservation as soon as Friday, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's been nearly a month since residents were asked to limit their water use as Virginia endured its driest stretch in decades.
State of play: City, county and state water officials are set to meet Friday to discuss lifting the restrictions, spokespeople for Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico tell Axios.
- The James River — Richmonders' primary water source — is now in a "good place" in terms of its water level, river flow and surface water, Henrico Public Utilities director Bentley Chan tells Axios.
- Under the region's drought response plan, localities can discuss lifting voluntary restrictions once those measures stay above certain thresholds for seven days.
- And the James has exceeded those benchmarks for roughly nine or 10 days, Chan says.
Yes, but: That doesn't mean the drought is over.
- The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force is expected to release an updated statewide drought report this week, the group's spokesperson tells Axios.
- Plus, while the James supplies most of Richmond's water, it's not the only source, Chan says. Some households rely on wells that draw on groundwater, which may still be experiencing dry conditions.
The intrigue: It's unclear how much local water conservation helped with Richmond's drought conditions — or if locals even conserved at all.
- Chan says there's no definitive way for Henrico to tell whether its residents conserved or if rainfall and other factors drove the James improvement.
- Chesterfield — the region's most populous county — saw no noticeable change in water usage, county spokesperson Teresa Bonifas tells Axios.
What we're watching: An announcement following the Friday drought meeting should come late Friday or Monday, Chan says.