Why must a water supply system meet both water-quality and water-quantity requirements?

A water supply system must meet both water-quality and water-quantity requirements to ensure the safety and functionality of the services it provides to homes, industries, and public institutions.1

Water-Quality Requirements
Quality standards are essential to protect public health and ensure water is suitable for its intended use. Systems must treat water to remove harmful impurities, including organic and inorganic chemicals, radioactive substances, and pathogenic microorganisms. By adhering to primary standards—which set maximum contaminant levels—systems prevent the spread of disease and exposure to toxic substances. Secondary standards address aesthetic factors like taste, odor, and color, which, while not always health-related, are vital for consumer confidence.234

Water-Quantity Requirements
Quantity requirements ensure that the system provides an adequate volume of water at sufficient pressure to meet diverse needs, such as domestic consumption, industrial processes, and critical public services like firefighting. A system that fails to deliver sufficient quantity or pressure cannot reliably support these essential activities, rendering the infrastructure ineffective regardless of the water's purity.15