Mention the characteristics of drinking (potable) water.
The characteristics of potable water are :
(i) It should be colourless and odourless.
(ii) It should be free from any suspended impurities.
(iii) It should be free from any harmful germs.
(iv) It should be free from large quantity of salts.
(v) It should be free from any harmful salt such as nitrates, cyanides, urea etc.