What is a common method for reducing turbidity in water?

Filtration is an effective method for reducing turbidity in water. This process involves passing water through a filter medium that traps and removes suspended particles, making the water clearer and more aesthetically pleasing. Filters can vary in material and size, but they generally target particles that contribute to turbidity, including silt, clay, organic matter, and some microorganisms.

Flocculation, while also a method used to remove turbidity, operates through a completely different principle. It involves the addition of chemicals called flocculants that cause small particles to clump together into larger aggregates, or flocs, which can then be removed by sedimentation or additional filtration. Therefore, while flocculation is useful as a complementary process, filtration directly tackles the suspended particles in water.

Chlorination is primarily a disinfection method used to kill harmful bacteria and viruses, and while it can assist in clarifying water indirectly, its main function does not address turbidity. Similarly, precipitation is generally associated with the process of converting soluble substances into insoluble forms, which may have some relevance in specific contexts of water treatment, but it does not directly focus on turbidity reduction like filtration does.

Thus, filtering through a medium that physically removes particles is the most straightforward and direct