Suspended solids interfere with effective drinking water treatment. High sediment loads interfere with coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. More chlorine is required to effectively disinfect turbid water. They also cause problems for industrial users. Suspended sediments also interfere with recreational use and aesthetic enjoyment of water.
Poor visibility can be dangerous for swimming and diving.
Siltation, or sediment deposition, eventually may close up channels or fill up the water body converting it into a wetland. A positive effect of the presence of suspended solids in water is that toxic chemicals such as pesticides and metals tend to adsorb to them or become complexed with them which makes the toxics less available to be absorbed by living organisms.