Defining ‘‘good’’ potable water quality: Which combination best represents acceptability for human consumption?

Introduction / Context:
Potable water must meet microbiological and physicochemical standards to protect public health and ensure consumer acceptability. The listed attributes are routine indicators of aesthetic and sanitary quality at the treatment-plant outlet and at consumer taps.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Treated municipal water supply.
• Compliance with typical standards for turbidity, colour, taste/odour, and microbiology.

Concept / Approach:

Safe drinking water should be aesthetically pleasing and pathogen-free. Absence of suspended matter and colour implies adequate clarification; lack of pathogens indicates effective disinfection and barrier integrity; neutral taste/odour suggests no residual contamination, algae, or excessive disinfectant by-products.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Routine compliance monitoring (coliform absence, turbidity < threshold, colour units low, taste/odour complaints minimal) verifies “good” water quality.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Any single attribute alone is insufficient; comprehensive quality demands all listed features together.

Common Pitfalls:

• Assuming colourless water is necessarily safe; microbiological safety is paramount.
• Ignoring distribution-system regrowth or intrusion after treatment.

Final Answer:

All the above.