Which statement best describes a Transient Non-Community Water System (TNCWS)?

• A. A PWS that serves a private residence regularly.
• B. A PWS that supplies water to hospitals.
• C. A PWS that supplies water to places like gas stations or campgrounds where people do not remain for long periods.
• D. A PWS that operates in a single building.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is distinguishing water systems by who they serve and how long people stay at the site. Transient Non-Community water systems supply water to places where people do not remain for long periods. The customers are temporary visitors rather than residents or workers who regularly return, such as gas stations, campgrounds, rest areas, or similar locations. That brief-stay characteristic is what sets this type of system apart.

So the statement that describes a PWS serving places like gas stations or campgrounds where people do not remain for long periods captures that transient nature exactly, making it the best-fit description.

Hospitals, schools, factories, or offices involve people who are present for longer periods, so their systems are not transient. A system serving a single building could be transient or non-transient depending on context, but it doesn’t specify the short-stay population that defines transient non-community systems. A private residence served regularly suggests a residential scenario rather than a transient site.