5.

5 Turbidity
What is turbidity and why is it important?
Turbidity is a measure of water clarity how much the material suspended in water decreases the
passage of light through the water. Suspended materials include soil particles (clay, silt, and
sand), algae, plankton, microbes, and other substances. These materials are typically in the size
range of 0.004 mm (clay) to 1.0 mm (sand). Turbidity can affect the color of the water.
Higher turbidity increases water temperatures because suspended particles absorb more heat.
This, in turn, reduces the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) because warm water holds less
DO than cold. Higher turbidity also reduces the amount of light penetrating the water, which
reduces photosynthesis and the production of DO. Suspended materials can clog fish gills,
reducing resistance to disease in fish, lowering growth rates, and affecting egg and larval
development. As the particles settle, they can blanket the stream bottom, especially in slower
waters, and smother fish eggs and benthic macroinvertebrates. Sources of turbidity include:

Soil erosion
Waste discharge
Urban runoff
Eroding stream banks
Large numbers of bottom feeders (such as carp), which stir up bottom sediments
Excessive algal growth.

Which is the maximum allowed turbidity in drinking water?

The WHO (World Health Organization), establishes that the turbidity of drinking water shouldn't
be more than 5 NTU, and should ideally be below 1 NTU.

What are the consequences of high turbidity?

The suspended particles absorb heat from the sunlight, making turbid waters become warmer,
and so reducing the concentration of oxygen in the water (oxygen dissolves better in colder
water). Some organisms also cant survive in warmer water.
The suspended particles scatter the light, thus decreasing the photosynthetic activity of plants
and algae, which contributes to lowering the oxygen concentration even more.
As a consequence of the particles settling to the bottom, shallow lakes fill in faster, fish eggs and
insect larvae are covered and suffocated, gill structures get clogged or damaged

What are the impacts of turbidity?

The main impact is merely esthetic: nobody likes the look of dirty water. But also, it is essential to
eliminate the turbidity of water in order to effectively disinfect it for drinking purposes. This adds
some extra cost to the treatment of surface water supplies. The suspended particles also help the
attachment of heavy metals and many other toxic organic compounds and pesticides.

Read more: http://www.lenntech.com/turbidity.htm#ixzz0eXKCrmiq