Which parameter is used to measure water turbidity?

Water turbidity refers to the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of small particles that are usually invisible to the naked eye. To measure turbidity, Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) are commonly used. This unit quantifies the amount of light scattered by suspended particles in a water sample when measured with a nephelometer.

Understanding the importance of turbidity measurement is crucial in water quality assessment since increased turbidity can be indicative of pollution or the presence of pathogens, which can have serious consequences for drinking water safety. Other units of measurement mentioned, such as milligrams per liter and parts per million, are more applicable for measuring concentrations of specific substances, while degrees Celsius is used to measure temperature, which does not correlate with turbidity levels. Thus, NTU is the standardized metric for this purpose and is specifically designed to assess water clarity.