A 10-page report from Virginia health officials to Richmond on Thursday can be summed up with one scathing sentence: "The water crisis should never have happened and was completely avoidable." Why it matters: It's the first time the Virginia Department of Health has officially said the city's preparation was so insufficient it may have violated state law and regulations.

Richmond has contracted with two consulting firms to investigate both the water crisis and the city's emergency response to it. Why it matters: It's one step closer to residents finding out what really happened and why social media seemed to know about the water running out hours before officials informed the public.

Past inspections cited Richmond water plant for deteriorating equipment Inspection reports obtained by CBS 6 revealed that Richmond's Department of Public Utilities has been previously cited for failures related to its emergency planning and deteriorating equipment.

How a meager snowstorm could cripple Richmond's water supply for six calendar days is still being investigated. Here's a timeline of how the events unfolded.

The City of Richmond, Hanover and Henrico counties report initial water tests found no harmful contaminants A second round of testing, 16 hours after the first, must now be done before the Boil Water Advisory can be lifted Henrico will close water distribution sites, showering facilities Friday at 8 p.m.

The Virginia Department of Health does not believe that the city of Richmond is capable of ensuring its citizens have reliable access to clean water.

The City of Richmond could have prevented the crisis with better preparation, by verifying critical equipment was functional before the storm event, ensuring sufficient staffing was physically present at the WTP in the event of a power outage,