Hospitals must have at least how many water services?

• A. 1
• B. 2
• C. 3
• D. 4

Answer: (B)

Hospitals require redundancy in their water supply, with separate pathways for different needs. Having at least two water services provides a built-in backup and keeps essential systems from being interrupted. One service typically feeds the domestic and clinical water needs, while the other is dedicated to the fire protection system (standpipes, sprinklers) and related life-safety functions. This separation ensures that if one service is shut off for maintenance or experiences a problem, the other remains available to support critical operations and firefighting capabilities. It also helps with backflow prevention by keeping the two supply paths independent. The minimum is two; having more isn’t required by the standard, though additional services could exist in larger facilities.