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Richmond utilities report urges lead-line replacement, recommends ending gas line-extension subsidies; CSO update details schedule and funding
Summary
The Public Utilities & Services Commission urged Richmond City to accelerate lead service line replacement ahead of a 2027 EPA rule and recommended eliminating gas line-extension allowances to protect existing customers. Separately, the Department of Public Utilities outlined CSO program timelines, funding needs and a value-engineering cost cut.
Kevin Cianfarini, presenting the 2025 annual report for the Public Utilities & Services Commission, told the Government Operations Committee the commission recommends a more detailed hydraulic review as the city updates its Richmond 300 master plan and urged accelerated public outreach and grant seeking for lead service line replacement. "The city currently has roughly 2,200 known lead service lines, 14,000 known non‑lead service lines, and 66,000 service lines which require identification," Cianfarini said.
The commission also spotlighted natural gas policy. Cianfarini said declining per‑customer gas demand — in part because newer construction favors electric heating — has shifted utility finances and prompted a recommendation to eliminate line‑extension allowances. He cited an estimate from the Regulatory Assistance Project that removing those allowances could save existing utility customers between $1 million and $4…
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