India, March 10 -- How safe is our drinking water? It turns out, not quite. Laboratory tests on water samples collected by HT from 18 complaint-prone locations across Delhi revealed that nearly 44% of them violated basic microbiological safety standards. Specifically, eight of the 18 samples tested positive for E. coli - an indicator of faecal contamination. All contaminated samples were from tap-water connections in homes. This is worrisome for home supply is built on the trust that the water supplied by the Delhi Jal Board and accessed through taps is potable. Many households may have installed water filters as a precautionary measure, but there's still a lot of direct consumption, like when brushing teeth or washing the fruits and vegetables we eat. And countless residents still drink water directly from the tap - just as the unsuspecting residents of Indore's Bhagirathpura did in December last year, when sewage mixed with the water supply claimed 15 lives and left more than 250 of them in the hospital. Whether it's the national Capital or Indore - often showcased as a model for civic governance - or any other urban habitation, Indian cities suffer from deep infrastructural inadequacies in their subterranean piped networks. Across cities, water lines and sewer pipes run parallel, and many are old and corroded. Cracks in the pipes often allow sewage to mix with drinking water. So even if the water treatment plants release clean water, broken distribution lines or the ferrule that connects the mains to individual homes can make it toxic by the time it reaches us. As cities grow organically, networks such as these are laid out haphazardly to catch up. Instead, city administrations need to map existing lines and develop master plans for upgrading networks city-wide. Overhauling these lines is a huge capital expenditure and centrally-sponsored schemes such as Amrut, Jal Jeevan Mission, and the newly launched Urban Challenge Fund could meet funding requirements provided states prioritise these projects and pay their share. The 16th Finance Commission has allocated substantial grants to urban local bodies for such spending. But once built, this infrastructure requires constant maintenance, which is often ignored. Pressure builds if people demand action. Following the Indore tragedy, Madhya Pradesh launched a Swachh Jal Abhiyan early this year, which focuses on water security, conservation, and awareness. Since the quality and quantity of water have become existential concerns, it should be a rallying cause across India. It should begin from the Capital....