India has made real progress in expanding access to drinking water over the past decade. Millions of households now have tap connections, something that once felt like an ambitious goal. But access isn’t the same as safety. And that’s where the gap still lies. Drinking Water (Representative Image) Water reaching a household is only half the job. Whether it is safe to drink, every single day, is what truly matters. That is where the next phase of India’s public health journey needs to focus. Chlorination remains one of the most reliable ways to get there. It is not new, and that is precisely its strength. Among the many water treatment options available today, chlorination continues to stand out because it works at scale, at relatively low cost, and with consistent results. When done properly, it can significantly reduce the burden of waterborne diseases, especially in rural and underserved areas. What makes it particularly effective is something often overlooked: it doesn’t just treat water at the source, it keeps working as water moves through the system. …