Random checks of a few private city tankers transporting drinking water on Thursday revealed zero levels of chlorination.
The chlorine level should be a minimum of 0.2 parts per million (ppm/ml), while the 20 tankers that were tested by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had zero ppm.
The team of officials began checking near Padi and tested water samples for levels of chlorination. Private tankers source water mainly from Poonamallee, Cholavaram and Athipet in Tiruvallur district, and transport them to homes, shops and other commercial establishments.
FSSAI staff did not initiate punitive measures against the tanker owners, but educated them. “We briefed them on adding chlorine to water before supplying it to customers,” said an official.
The team also conducted similar checks on tankers run by Metrowater and noticed chlorine content of over 0.3.ppm/ml.
Four teams of FSSAI officials plan to fan out across the city and conduct more such checks in the days to come. There are also plans to lift water samples from the tankers and test for other parameters such as turbidity.
