The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) does not believe that the city of Richmond is capable of ensuring its citizens have reliable access to clean water. That’s as of a Jan. 16 “Notice of Alleged Violation” issued against the city of Richmond by the VDH’s Office of Drinking Water (ODW),

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.

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,