6.1. Turbidity as an Indicator

In general, if the concentration of microorganisms is very high, it will show up as turbidity. So water is not clear, which means it could be because of bacteria; a lot of bacteria is there so it is a suspended particulate matter and that’s why there is turbidity.

Turbidity refers to how clear or cloudy water is. When the concentration of microorganisms increases significantly, it causes the water to become turbid. This turbidity is a visual cue that indicates the presence of suspended particles, often including bacteria. More bacteria lead to more suspended matter, making the water appear less clear.

Imagine a clean glass of water. If you add some soil to it, the water becomes cloudy and hard to see through. The soil represents the suspended matter, similar to how bacteria makes water turbid.

The turbidity is one measure of microorganisms but not always, you cannot be sure. The only way to make sure that it is a microorganism is to put it on and see if it is growing.

While turbidity can indicate the presence of microorganisms, it is not a definitive measure. Just because water is turbid does not mean that it contains active (viable) microorganisms. To confirm the presence of living bacteria, one must culture the microorganisms to see if they grow.

Think of checking if a plant is alive by merely looking at its leaves. Even if it looks healthy (like clear water), the true test is whether it actually grows when you water it. Culturing bacteria is like watering the plant to see if it thrives.

So, viable is a term called viable and non-viable means it is a dead cell which will not grow. The dead cell will not grow; organic matter, organic carbon constitutes in that fraction; it will not grow and it will not cause probably much harm as much harm as a pathogen will.

The term 'viable' refers to microorganisms that are alive and capable of growth. In contrast, 'non-viable' refers to dead cells that cannot reproduce. While dead cells may still be present in the water, they pose less of a threat compared to living pathogens, which can cause infections and health risks.

Consider a seed that has not germinated. It looks like it might be alive, but it can be considered non-viable if it doesn't sprout. In this analogy, viable organisms are like seeds that grow, whereas non-viable ones are like those that never sprout.

Because when generally people are worried about microorganisms. Because they are pathogens and they will grow; that means something is growing. Bacteria is growing in the body, so that is a non-viable organism which does not grow does not that much of a danger than viable organisms.

People often express concern about microorganisms mainly due to the presence of pathogens—living organisms that can cause diseases. Viable microorganisms can multiply and pose a health risk. On the other hand, non-viable organisms do not grow and generally present a much lesser threat.

Think about pests in your garden. If you have living pests, they can reproduce and harm your plants. However, if those pests are dead, they won't cause any further damage. This illustrates how viable organisms can be dangerous while non-viable ones don’t threaten health.

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