What is Turbidity?
Posted on April 8, 2022
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by suspended solids that are usually invisible to the naked eye. It is an important indicator of water quality and represents an aggregate optical property rather than identifying individual substances.
Water contains particles of varying sizes. Larger particles may settle over time, while smaller colloidal particles remain suspended and cause water to appear cloudy.
What Causes Turbidity?
Turbidity is commonly caused by soil erosion, urban runoff, construction, mining, and agricultural activities. Stormwater flowing over roads and parking lots also carries particles into water bodies.
Impacts of Turbidity
- Increase risk of waterborne diseases
- Reduce effectiveness of disinfection
- Limit sunlight penetration in water bodies
- Affect aquatic life and oxygen levels
How is Turbidity Measured?
Turbidity is measured in NTU. Drinking water should ideally have turbidity below 5 NTU, and preferably below 1 NTU for effective disinfection.
How HyperFiltration Helps
Systems like Ultra-Filtration (UF) and Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) remove suspended particles and improve water clarity and safety.
