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’s recent water crisis left residents scrambling for drinkable water for days after a winter storm knocked out power at the water treatment plant, triggering a backup system failure and major flooding.

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.