Turbidity meters are commonly used as part of water quality inspection to determine the protection of the water resource, as well as to verify compliance with industry standards or appropriate water quality standards. In addition, turbidity meters are used to investigate possible harmful effects on water, such as oil spills, fertilizers or crop fertilizers. Turbidity in water is a common measure to indicate the amount of particulate matter, such as bacterial plaque, clay, silt, algae, sediment, iron or any other solid substance suspended in the liquid. Turbidity control is essential for water treatment because high levels can indicate an increased amount of unwanted microorganisms, such as organic particles and minerals, and can also have an impact on drinking water quality.

Turbidity is an important factor in determining the quality of water in its potabilization, the more transparent the purer (higher quality); conversely, the more turbid the water, the more contamination or mixture of water with another type of component (low quality). The solids and particles suspended in water are possible carriers of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Therefore, water turbidity control is required to avoid the spread of infectious diseases. That is why turbidity meters are applied in water treatment and purification plants. They also have applications in the chemical industry, in wastewater control, and in power generation.