What is turbidity in water?

Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of water caused by suspended and colloidal particles such as silt, clay, algae, microorganisms, and organic matter. It is commonly measured in Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU).

What causes high turbidity in water?

High turbidity can result from soil particles, silt, clay, algae, organic matter, microorganisms, industrial contaminants, corrosion products, and poor coagulation or filtration. Surface-water turbidity can also increase significantly during heavy rainfall and monsoon conditions.

How can turbidity be removed from water?

Turbidity can be reduced using coagulation and flocculation, sedimentation, multimedia filtration, microfiltration, or ultrafiltration. The right method depends on the particle size, turbidity level, feedwater quality, and required treated-water quality.

What is the acceptable turbidity level in drinking water?

Under the BIS drinking-water framework, turbidity is generally targeted at 1 NTU, with a permissible limit of 5 NTU under specified conditions. Industrial water requirements can differ depending on the application.

What is NTU and why is it important?

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) is a measurement of water turbidity. A higher NTU indicates more light-scattering particles in the water. Monitoring NTU helps determine treatment requirements and assess the performance of filtration systems.

Turbidity Removal from Water: Causes, NTU Standards and Treatment Methods