Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answer to this item should be based on the…
Read the following passage and answer the item that follows. Your answer to this item should be based on the passage only.
Passage: Our urban bodies cannot possibly ensure sustainable delivery of water in our cities unless financing mechanisms are put in place. Water delivery requires heavy investment in collecting it from a natural source, treating it to make it potable, and laying a distribution network of pipes for delivery to the users. It also requires investments in sewerage infrastructure and sewage treatment plants so that the sewers can carry the wastewater to these plants to ensure that no untreated sewage is discharged back into natural water bodies. If our cities were rich enough to meet the entire cost, water could be delivered free. They are not.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
1. Rich cities only can ensure sustainable delivery of water.
2. Sustainable delivery of water in cities means much more than supplying water to households.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Solution
Assumption 2 is valid: the passage explains that sustainable delivery involves treatment, distribution pipes, sewerage infrastructure and sewage treatment — much more than just supplying water to households. Assumption 1 is too strong — the passage says financing mechanisms are needed, not that only rich cities can ensure sustainable delivery. Hence only 2 is valid.