According to the SDWA, how is a public water system defined?

A public water system is defined under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) as a system that provides piped water for human consumption to 25 or more individuals or to at least 15 service connections for at least 60 days a year. The emphasis of this definition lies in the connection to human consumption and the minimum number of people served, which underscores the need for regulatory oversight to ensure the water quality is safe for drinking and other uses.

The definition aims to distinguish systems that require monitoring and compliance with health standards from those that do not, ensuring public health protection. As such, choices related to privately owned reservoirs and agricultural supplies do not fall under the same category, as they do not specifically indicate a service designed for human consumption. Moreover, a supply that serves only 10 service connections does not meet the minimum threshold needed to be classified as a public water system. Therefore, the correct answer clearly aligns with the criteria set forth in the SDWA.