Starbucks Food Safety Practice Exam

What is essential for maintaining safe water supply connections?

1. Vacuum breakers

2. Air filters

3. Water softeners

4. Grease traps

The correct answer is: Vacuum breakers

Maintaining safe water supply connections is crucial for preventing contamination and ensuring the integrity of the water system. Vacuum breakers are essential devices in this context because they help prevent backflow, which can occur when there is a negative pressure in the water supply system. This situation can cause contaminated water to siphon back into the potable water supply, posing a serious health risk. By utilizing vacuum breakers, you create a physical barrier that stops this reverse flow, ensuring that the water remains safe and uncontaminated. The other options, while important in different contexts, do not specifically address the issue of backflow prevention in water supply systems. Air filters deal with air quality, water softeners manage mineral content in water, and grease traps are used for trapping fats, oil, and grease in drainage systems. None of these options directly influence the safety of water connections in terms of preventing contamination through backflow, highlighting why vacuum breakers are vital for maintaining safe water supply connections.