Building that reduced Richmond’s Typhoid death rate

It seems like something we take for granted now, but 100 years ago, clean water in an urban environment was not a guarantee. James River adventurer Andrew Phinney posted a photo of a concrete building on the James River his twitter account, @RVAPhinney.  The building located on the other side of the CSX train tracks from […]

September 20, 2011; 6:15 AM • by Phil Riggan

It seems like something we take for granted now, but 100 years ago, clean water in an urban environment was not a guarantee.

James River adventurer Andrew Phinney posted a photo of a concrete building on the James River his twitter account, @RVAPhinney.  The building located on the other side of the CSX train tracks from the Richmond water treatment facility.

Phinney’s viewpoint was from the north bank west of the Powhite Parkway Bridge, right at the Powhite Ledges Rapids. What was the now-crumbling building used for? From the Falls of the James Atlas by Bill Trout:

A 1914 concrete building which was Richmond’s first chlorine treatment plant (an improvement which dramatically reduced the Typhoid death rate).

As for the water treatment facility, from the Department of Public Utilities:

The city of Richmond is one of the largest water producers in Virginia, with a modern plant that can treat up to 132 million gallons of water a day from the James River.

The treatment plant and distribution system of water mains, pumping stations and storage facilities provide water to approximately 62,000 customers in the city. The facility also provides water to the surrounding area through wholesale contracts with Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover counties. All total, this results in a facility that provides water for approximately 500,000 people.

September 20, 2011 6:15 AM 0