If turbidity remains high, what treatment method is often employed to address this issue?

High turbidity in water indicates the presence of suspended particles that can include sediments, microorganisms, and organic material. When turbidity levels are elevated, it can impede other treatment processes such as disinfection, as particles can shield pathogens from disinfectants, reducing their effectiveness.

Filtration is a critical step in the water treatment process specifically designed to remove these suspended particles and reduce turbidity to acceptable levels. Various filtration methods, such as sand filters, cartridge filters, and membrane filtration systems, are employed to physically remove particles from the water through different mechanisms such as straining, adsorption, and biological activity.

In contrast, methods like boiling are effective for disinfecting water but do not remove turbidity. Disinfection processes typically target pathogens rather than suspended solids, and while settling can help to reduce turbidity by allowing larger particles to settle out of the water column, it is generally used as a preliminary treatment step rather than a standalone method for addressing high turbidity levels. Therefore, filtration is the primary treatment method specifically employed to tackle the problem of high turbidity in water.