Leaking water, buckling floors and falling ceiling tiles — including a tile that fell on a client — have forced the Hopewell Health Department to temporarily move services to neighboring health departments.
Damage from Hurricane Irene that slammed Virginia on Aug. 27, and the Aug. 23 earthquake in Louisa County that was felt over the East Coast, are blamed for problems that have made the building at 220 Appomattox St. unsafe for business.
"When we came in on Monday morning, after a weekend with no rain, we still had water pouring down from the ceiling into the waiting area," said Wallica Gaines, Crater Health District administrator and business manager.
"The entryway had tiles in the floor that had buckled," posing a tripping hazard, she said. "Ductwork had fallen in the bathroom. … There is visible damage from the earthquake, but that damage alone would not have caused us to make this decision."
The Hopewell Health Department is part of the Crater Health District, which encompasses health departments in the Tri-Cities and neighboring jurisdictions.
"The Crater Health District has a continuity plan for situations like this and others," Gaines said. "We deferred to that plan."
Clinical services such as immunizations, family planning and the WIC nutrition program are being shifted about 10 miles away to the Petersburg Health Department at 301 Halifax St. in Petersburg.
Environmental health services, which include permits and inspections for restaurants, wells and septic tanks, moved to the Prince George County Health Department at 6450 Administration Drive, about 8 miles from the Hopewell Health Department.
Gaines said eight employees are affected. The temporary move was effective Wednesday, and clients with appointments were notified in advance by telephone, Gaines said. Walkup clients were notified by signs outside the building.