India, July 21 -- Sir,

This is with reference to the news item titled "Concern over drinking water" in SOM dated July 16.

The concern shown by some of my fellow residents of Mysuru is a serious health issue.

I still remember our tap water used to have an agreeable odour as soon as it came out of the tap. But, this odour would cease from the collected water within a minute or two. Even otherwise, it could be safely consumed straight from the tap. This odour is due to "residual chlorine."

Water that has undergone flocculation (alum treatment), filtration and subsequently, chlorination process, soon thereafter, is safe. But, such water, distributed through pipelines, may get contaminated, on the way, with certain pathogens. This is the p...