Which of the following actions is essential prior to conducting maintenance on water system equipment?

Notifying supervisory staff is essential prior to conducting maintenance on water system equipment for several reasons. It ensures that all relevant personnel are aware of the maintenance activities taking place, which is important for coordination and safety. Supervisory staff can inform other team members or departments that may be affected by the maintenance, helping to prevent any operational disruptions. Additionally, notifying supervisors helps ensure that proper procedures and protocols are followed, which is particularly important in a utility setting where regulations and safety standards must be adhered to.

In contrast, checking the operational budget, ensuring equipment is powered on, and reviewing maintenance logs, while important tasks in their own right, do not address the immediate need for communication and coordination among team members. While these actions contribute to effective maintenance practices, they do not have the same critical impact on safety and coordination as notifying supervisory staff does.