All of the following are characteristics of safe and healthy water except which of the following?

Appeared in: DSSSB 12 August 2024

Explanation

The question is an 'except' type, asking for the characteristic that does NOT apply to safe water.
Safe and wholesome water is defined as being potable (safe for drinking) and suitable for domestic purposes.
The statement 'Not potable and not used for domestic purposes' is the direct opposite of the definition of safe water.
Therefore, this statement is the correct exception among the given choices.

Option B: This is a true and desirable characteristic of safe water. Water that is pleasant in taste and free from color and odor is considered aesthetically acceptable and encourages consumption.
Option C: This is a critical safety requirement for wholesome water. The absence of pathogenic factors is essential to prevent waterborne diseases.
Option D: This is another crucial safety standard for drinking water. Freedom from harmful chemicals protects consumers from acute or chronic toxicity.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Characteristics of Safe and Wholesome Water as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Access to safe and wholesome water is a cornerstone of public health and a primary nursing concern in community health.
Nurses play a vital role in educating communities about water safety, purification methods (like boiling or chlorination), and recognizing signs of waterborne illnesses (e.g., cholera, typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A).
What if a community's primary water source becomes contaminated after a flood? A nurse's priority action would be to advise residents to immediately stop using the water without purification and to liaise with public health authorities to arrange for emergency safe water supplies and mass chlorination.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core subject of the question: the characteristics of 'safe and healthy water'.
Next, note the keyword 'except'. This signals that you must find the option that is FALSE or does not belong with the others.
Read each option and evaluate it against the standard definition of safe drinking water.
Option A describes water that is not drinkable ('not potable') and not for household use. This is the definition of unsafe water.
Options B, C, and D all describe positive, essential qualities of safe water (good taste/smell, no pathogens, no harmful chemicals).
Since three options are true characteristics and one is false, the false statement is the correct answer to the 'except' question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) p. 23-25

Practise the full DSSSB 12 August 2024

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.