Traditional Wisdom: Indian Brass Water Pots Kill Bacteria

It's being reported that research shows merit in the ancient Indian tradition of storing water in brass vessels: the practice dramatically reduces the bacteria count, cutting down on disease.

In an article in the journal Nature, microbiologists have said water stored in brass containers could help combat many water-borne diseases and should be used in developing countries, rather than their cheaper alternatives such as plastic containers.

Update 13 May 2005: The Australian has more detailed info on this interesting phenomenon.