What method is commonly used to assess water quality in terms of turbidity?

Turbidimetry is the preferred method for assessing water quality regarding turbidity because it specifically measures the cloudiness or haziness of water caused by suspended particles. This technique involves passing a beam of light through a water sample and measuring the amount of light that is scattered by those particles. The greater the turbidity, the more light is scattered, which can be quantified to determine the concentration of suspended solids in the water.

In contrast, colorimetric analysis measures the color of a solution, which does not directly correlate with turbidity levels. Conductivity measurement assesses the water's ability to conduct electricity, which is influenced by ion concentration but does not indicate turbidity. Filtration can be used to remove suspended solids, but it does not provide a direct measurement of turbidity levels in the water sample. Therefore, turbidimetry is uniquely suited to this particular assessment of water quality.