Which of the following rural water supplies uses a tank carrying between 600 and 5,000 gallons of water that can be set up quickly?

The correct choice is a portable tank. This type of rural water supply system is designed for quick deployment in areas without established hydrants or water sources. Portable tanks are typically collapsible or easily transportable containers that can hold between 600 and 5,000 gallons of water. Their design allows firefighters to set them up quickly when responding to emergencies, which is crucial in rural settings where access to water may be limited or non-existent.

Portable tanks are favored in firefighting operations because they can be filled directly from a water source and then used to supply water to firefighting apparatus. Their size and ease of transport make them highly effective for rapid response situations, ensuring that firefighters have immediate access to the needed water during operations.

Static, suction, and mobile tanks serve different but specific functions in water supply systems. Static tanks are typically fixed installations that hold water and are not designed for rapid deployment. Suction tanks are specifically designed to allow pumps to draw water from them, but they may not offer the same portability. Mobile tanks are designed for transport like portable tanks, but they may not fit the specific criteria of rapid setup and volume capacity that the question emphasizes.