Oh, clean water. The thing you’ve been drinking since birth, something you take for granted—unless, of course, you live in a city like Richmond, where even something as basic as that can be too much to ask for at times. The federal government just made even that a little bit harder by pulling a $12 million grant for our water treatment plant, and it’s exactly the kind of thing that makes you want to shout, “Thanks guys. Really nailed it this time.”
This grant was supposed to help with crucial upgrades to the Feeder Channel Retaining Wall and Pre-Sedimentation Berm at Richmond’s water plant—nothing flashy, just basic infrastructure to keep water from turning into a crisis.
Of course, this all comes after Richmond had a water outage that left people scrambling for the basics, barely able to wash their hands, let alone take a sip of something that won’t make them sick. One would think that in a moment of infrastructural failure, the federal government would double down on supporting local efforts to prevent future crises. But instead, Richmond and other cities are left to pick up the pieces, left asking: What’s more important to the federal government, cutting a check for those in need or fulfilling a political agenda?
And sure, $12 million wouldn’t solve this problem, it’s going to take a lot more money than that, but it’s more than just pocket change. And now, it’s gone. Just like that. But hey, at least it’s not being spent on something “woke,” like trying to ensure people aren’t literally drowning in their own water supply.
Maybe the next time the federal government should stick with the simple idea that every person deserves clean, safe water—not as a partisan issue, but as a basic human right.
Photo by Shelby Sullivan
Ed. Note: We received clarification from VDEM regarding the BRIC grant status. The City of Richmond’s 2022 BRIC grant application was not awarded funding. While the application was “Selected for Further Review” by FEMA in May 2023, it was ultimately cancelled before any funds were allocated. This means the grant was never officially awarded, and the review process was discontinued. For more details on FEMA’s application and awarding process, inquiries should be directed to FEMA. We apologize for any confusion in the initial reporting of the grant’s status.
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