Residents fume as dirty water flows through taps in Virginia's capital

RICHMOND, Virginia: Theresa Fulgham had had enough. After days without water in Richmond, Virginia, some people resorted to melting snow to flush toilets.

On January 9, Fulgham, a live-in caregiver, decided it was time for her and her client to take a shower. They headed to a YMCA that still had running water.

"We need a shower today. Enough is enough," she said.

Richmond, a city of 200,000 people, faced frustration as crews worked to fix the water system, which a winter storm had knocked out as the week started. By January 9, brown, murky water had begun trickling into some pipes. Even where the water appeared clear, it still wasn't safe to drink without boiling.

In complex water systems like Richmond's, restoring pressure doesn't mean the water is immediately safe to drink. The city told residents to keep boiling water until further notice.

Latoya Jones, a nurse, said her daughter used snow to help flush toilets. To save water, the family used paper plates. "Washing dishes is out of the question right now," Jones said. She planned to take her kids to a local high school for showers. "Our next family trip will be to take a shower," she joked.

The YMCA has been a lifesaver for many. Jody Alexander, who leads the Greater Richmond YMCA, said more than 4,000 non-members had come in for showers at their facilities. Liz Canfield, one of the visitors, said, "Those five minutes were glorious."

The city distributed bottled water at 11 locations and delivered supplies to older residents and those unable to travel. Over two days, more than 45,000 gallons of bottled water were distributed, and some residents filled containers from tanker trucks.

Susan Stevens said she kept turning on her tap out of habit, only to be reminded that it wouldn't work or was unsafe to use.

"I am just wondering, hopefully, that there will be some clarity on why this happened," Miguel Vasquez said. "I have a lot of questions because, obviously, the storm wasn't that bad."

Mayor Danny Avula, who had been in office for less than a week, said he also wanted answers. The problem started when the city's water plant lost power, and the backup battery system failed.

By January 9, the water system was pressurized, and tests for bacteria were underway. The boil-water advisory would be lifted once two rounds of tests came back clear.

Like many others, Fulgham had been melting snow to flush toilets and using bottled water to brush her teeth. Despite her frustration, she was willing to give the new mayor a pass for now.

The crisis also affected nearby Henrico and Hanover counties, which issued boil-water advisories after Richmond's outage.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin acknowledged people's frustration. The state legislature delayed its session due to the lack of water at the Capitol, but Youngkin said there were more urgent issues to address. "The work will get done," he said.