HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Henrico County Department of Public Utilities (DPU) said a water main break in the Varina area of the county led to road and school closures on Tuesday as crews worked to make repairs.
DPU crews were notified about the break around 4:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 19. As a result of the break, a portion of Messer Road was closed, along with three nearby schools:
- John Rolfe Middle School
- Varina High School
- George F. Baker Elementary School
The water main break caused all three schools to close for the entire day. Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) nutrition staff had meals ready for pickup for students who rely on school lunch.
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Hydrants spill water onto the road in front of Varina High School. (Photo: Madison Moore, 8News) -
(Photo: Alexis Bellamy, 8News) -
(Photo: Alexis Bellamy, 8News) -
(Photo: Alexis Bellamy, 8News) -
(Photo: Alexis Bellamy, 8News) -
(Photo: Alexis Bellamy, 8News) -
(Photo: Alexis Bellamy, 8News) -
(Photo: Alexis Bellamy, 8News) -
(Photo: Madison Moore, 8News) -
(Photo: Madison Moore, 8News) -
(Photo: Madison Moore, 8News)
Joel Marks, who lives near Messer Road, told 8News that, while he was glad it was water that was out instead of power, it was still an inconvenience for him and his neighbors.
“This is a real problem for the neighborhood because now you shut down the schools, you shut down the elementary, you shut down the [middle school], you shut down the high school,” he said. “They can’t afford to miss days in school.”
Around 12:45 p.m., DPU reported that the break had been fixed and water was restored. The break is believed to have been the result of cold temperatures overnight, as many as 130 homes and businesses in the area were affected.
