Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 🎅 GMAT Competition with Lots of Questions & FunIn Greenwood, the installation of home-based water purification systems has become increasingly popular. Concurrently, there has been a noticeable increase in the consumption of tap water. Local health advocates assert that the rise in tap water consumption is directly linked to the increased confidence in water quality due to these purification systems.
Which of the following, if true in Greenwood, most seriously undermines the force of the evidence cited?
(A) The majority of water purification systems in Greenwood are used primarily for filtering drinking water, not for general household water usage.
(B) Surveys indicate that Greenwood residents have become more health-conscious, leading to a preference for tap water over other beverages.
(C) Recent widely circulated reports show that the tap water in Greenwood, even without additional purification, meets all safety and quality standards set by health authorities.
(D) The water purification companies in Greenwood have conducted extensive marketing campaigns emphasizing the benefits of consuming purified tap water.
(E) The increase in tap water consumption in Greenwood coincides with a period of higher than average temperatures and extended dry spells.
GMAT Club's Official Explanation:
C. Recent reports show that the tap water in Greenwood, even without additional purification, meets all safety and quality standards set by health authorities.
- This option undermines the health advocates' assertion that the rise in tap water consumption is due to increased confidence from using home-based water purification systems. If the tap water already meets safety and quality standards, the need for additional purification and its impact on consumer behavior (increased tap water consumption) is called into question. This suggests that the increase in tap water consumption may not be directly linked to the use of home-based purification systems.
The other options, while relevant, do not directly counter the evidence as effectively:
A. The majority of water purification systems in Greenwood are used primarily for filtering drinking water, not for general household water usage.
- While this is informative, it does not directly challenge the link between the installation of purification systems and the increase in tap water consumption.
B. Surveys indicate that Greenwood residents have become more health-conscious, leading to a preference for tap water over other beverages.
- This offers an alternative explanation for increased tap water consumption but doesn’t directly undermine the specific assertion about the role of purification systems.
D. The water purification companies in Greenwood have conducted extensive marketing campaigns emphasizing the benefits of consuming purified tap water.
- This could explain the popularity of purification systems, but it doesn't directly challenge the assertion about their impact on water consumption behavior.
E. The increase in tap water consumption in Greenwood coincides with a period of higher than average temperatures and extended dry spells.
- This presents an alternative reason for increased water consumption but does not directly address the impact of purification systems on this behavior.
Therefore, (C) is the best choice as it directly challenges the core assumption behind the health advocates' assertion, suggesting that the quality of tap water itself, independent of additional purification, may be a significant factor influencing consumer behavior.