Suspended solids can be removed by sedimentation if their size or density is comparatively large, or by filtration.
Suspended solids are important as pollutants and pathogens are carried on the surface of particles.
Removal of suspended solids is generally achieved through the use of sedimentation and/or water filters (usually at a municipal level).
The use of a very simple cloth filter, consisting of a folded cotton sari, drastically reduces the load of cholera carried in the water, and is suitable for use by the very poor; in this case, an appropriate technology method of disinfection might be added, such as solar water disinfection.
This makes it very difficult to remove, and finding an alternative water source is often the most realistic option.