Let's settle this quickly, people.

According to my dear old dad, who happens to be a biochemist:

1) Chlorinated water, assuming its clean, is safe to drink.  It _will_
taste awful, and will most likely give people an upset stomach, but it
is not poisonous.
2) Post hurricaine, that water's going to be no better than the stuff in
the pond.
3) Assuming they boil it, almost all of the chlorine will go poof into
the water vapour and steam, making it safe to use, even if residuals
will make it taste awful.

So...Don _is_ right.  That's a good source of water in an emergency.  I
just find it surprising the average person would even think of it as
potable water.  But then, Ranma's been travelling the Japanese
countryside for years, perhaps pool water was the only potable stuff he
could find at times.

As for drinking water in Tokyo/elsewhere: Most drinking water has small
amounts of chlorine in it, just to make it safe to drink.  In most North
American water supplies, it also has a small amount of floride, to
promote dental health (in part).  Tokyo's water is very high in chlorine
as compared to many other sources, but I think that's more to do with
the varied sources they use.

--
Christopher Angel
--who wonders why no one's checking rain barrels.

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