Which tracing strategy would be used to analyze the flow of utilities toward a source?

To analyze the flow of utilities toward a source, upstream tracing is the most appropriate strategy. This method is designed to follow the direction of flow from various elements back to their origin or source. In utility networks, a source can refer to elements such as reservoirs, injection points, or any point where utilities originate.

When employing upstream tracing, the process identifies all components that lead to the source, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of how utilities are distributed and where they come from. This can be vital for maintenance, planning, or analyzing the impact of changes within the network.

In contrast, downstream tracing focuses on the flow from the source to the connected components. While connected tracing examines the relationships between adjacent network components, it does not specifically target the utility flow direction toward a source. Focused tracing narrows down the analysis but doesn't explicitly direct the flow toward a source either. Thus, upstream tracing is specifically tailored for analyzing how utilities converge at their origin, making it the correct approach for this question.