What characterizes a public water supply system?

A public water supply system is officially characterized by its provision of potable water to the public, typically defined by specific criteria. In this case, having at least 15 service connections for human consumption clearly meets the legal and practical benchmarks for public water systems. This requirement ensures that the system can serve a sufficient number of users, thus justifying its classification as a public utility that is subject to regulations pertaining to water quality and safety.

This designation is vital as it obligates the system to adhere to public health standards and legal requirements, which are essential for protecting the health of the population served. It supports the distribution and management of water resources across a wider community, ensuring consistent availability and quality controls that individual or seasonal setups might lack.

Other choices do not align with the standards defined for public water systems. Individual household use does not satisfy the community-wide accessibility requirement. Similarly, a focus on agricultural irrigation or temporary setups would not qualify as public systems since they do not predominantly serve human consumption needs in a stable and regulated manner.