In the wake of a weather-related power disruption that caused flooding and equipment malfunctions at the City of Richmond’s water treatment plant, City officials have enlisted the help of HNTB Corporation to conduct an independent report. The firm, with over 100 years of experience in infrastructure development, will assess the circumstances surrounding the Jan. 6 debacle.

The corporation specializes in a variety of infrastructure services, including architecture, aviation, bridges, highways, construction management, mass transit, tunnels and water systems.

“I am committed to having a thorough investigation into what happened at the water treatment plant last week, and bringing HNTB on board is a key step in that process,” Mayor Danny Avula said.

“As we move forward, my partners on City Council and I will keep the public informed and up to date on the after-action process.”

The report will provide insight into the events of the outage, including an assessment of plant equipment and personnel performance during the disruption.

Mayor Avula, along with City Council President Cynthia I. Newbille and City Council Vice President Katherine Jordan, interviewed multiple firms before selecting HNTB.

“Vice President Jordan and I were pleased to work collaboratively with the mayor and administration to identify an independent third-party consultant to help us complete a thorough review of the water system and the recent crisis response. We have confidence that the community’s voice will be at the center of HNTB’s process,” Newbille said.