Which treatment method is primarily used to deal with suspended particles in water?

The treatment method primarily used to deal with suspended particles in water is coagulation. Coagulation involves the addition of chemical coagulants, such as alum or ferric chloride, to water. These coagulants cause small suspended particles to clump together into larger aggregates, known as flocs. Once these flocs form, they can be more easily removed from the water through subsequent processes like sedimentation or filtration.

Coagulation is particularly effective for treating water with high turbidity levels, where fine particulates can make the water appear cloudy. By reducing the number of suspended particles, coagulation plays a crucial role in improving water quality and clarity.

While filtration is also used to remove suspended particles, it generally follows coagulation in the treatment process. Chlorination is primarily used for disinfection rather than for particle removal, and ion exchange focuses on the removal of specific ions from water, rather than particulate matter. Thus, coagulation stands out as the primary method for managing suspended particles in water treatment.