What is the term used for the process of removing sediments from water?

The process of removing sediments from water is referred to as sedimentation. This involves allowing water to stand undisturbed so that heavier particles, such as sand, silt, or clay, can settle to the bottom due to the force of gravity. Sedimentation is an essential step in water treatment as it helps to clarify water by separating out larger particles before further treatment processes, such as filtration or disinfection, are applied.

While filtration also removes particles from water, it primarily focuses on filtering out both suspended and dissolved solids through a barrier, and it often addresses smaller particles that may remain after sedimentation. Flocculation, on the other hand, is a process that involves the addition of chemicals to the water to facilitate the agglomeration of tiny particles into flocs, which can then be removed by sedimentation or filtration. Disinfection refers specifically to the elimination of pathogenic microorganisms, which is a different objective in the water treatment process. Thus, sedimentation is specifically about the gravitational settling of particles, making it the correct term for the process described in the question.