Constructed Wetlands (CWs)

Beat Stauffer, international seecon gmbh

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Depending on the initial situations and respective local circumstances, there is no guarantee that single measures described in the toolbox
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Constructed Wetlands
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Contents

1. Concept
2. How can Constructed Wetlands optimise SSWM
3. Design Principles
4. Treatment Efficiency
5. Operation and Maintenance
6. Applicability
7. Pros and Cons
8. References

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1. Concept
Introduction
Treatment step of DEWATS systems
Secondary treatment facilities for household (blackwater or
greywater, brownwater) and/or municipal or biodegredable industrial
wastewater. (HOFFMANN et al. 2010)
Tertiary treatment system for polishing (e.g. activated sludge,
trickling filter plants) before safety disposal or reuse.
Outflow of CW: groundwater recharge, fertigation, aquaculture
Types of constructed wetlands. They are classified according to the
water flow regime as:
Horizontal flow constructed wetlands
Vertical flow constructed wetlands
Free surface constructed wetlands
Combined flow regimes are so called hybrid constructed wetlands
and exploit the specific advantages of the different systems.
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2. How can Constructed Wetlands Optimise SSWM

Example 1: Onsite or Semi-centralised Treatment System

Low-flush
toilet,
shower, Groundwater
kitchen sink, recharge
etc.

Compost filter (above), septic tank, imhoff tank,

anaerobic baffled reactor (below), etc.
Water for irrigation or
Horizontal (picture), vertical, aquaculture, etc.
free surface or a combined
hybrid filter

Source: UN-HABITAT (2008); STAUFFER (2012); MOREL & DIENER (2006); RUUESCH (2011); IPTRID (2008)

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2. How can Constructed Wetlands Optimise SSWM

Example 2: Hybrid CW for a Community

CWs can also act as a treatment system for a community up to 3400

people (e.g. Bayawan City):
Protecting coastal waters from pollution
Protect the health of local residents
Reuse of treated waste water for irrigation

Wastewater is collected in septic tanks and

transferred through a small bore sewer
system to the hybrid constructed wetland.
The treated water can be reused (irrigation),
one part is recirculated or it could be
disposed (optional).

Source: LIPKOW and MUENCH (2010)

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2. How can Constructed Wetlands Optimise SSWM

Example 3: Greywater Treatment in Urban Areas (Norway)

CWs can be embedded nicely in urban areas that greywater can be

reused for irrigation or recharge groundwater.

The latest generation of constructed wetlands for cold climate with integrated aerobic
biofilter in Norway.

Source: JENSSEN (n.y)

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2. How can Constructed Wetlands Optimise SSWM

Example 3: Greywater Treatment in Urban Areas (Norway)
Upper right: the wetland in
the foreground the biofilter
is underneath the
playground behind the
stonewall. Upper
Left: flowforms.

Lower left: the effluent is

exposed in a shallow pond
and can be discharged in a
local stream (lower right).

Source: JENSSEN (n.y)

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2. How can Constructed Wetlands Optimise SSWM

Example 4: Stormwater Wetlands (also called Wet Ponds or
Retention Ponds)

Adapted design for

stormwater management
Microbiological
breakdown of pollutants
Plant uptake (nutrients)
Retention, settling and
adsorption
Flood control
Aesthetic design for rural
areas (e.g. city parks)

Source: METROCOUNCIL (n.y.); COASTAL WATER WATCH (2010)

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3. Design Principals
Horizontal Flow (HF)

Large gravel and sand-filled channel, planted with aquatic

vegetation
Wastewater flows horizontally through the channel
Mainly anaerobic conditions
The filter material filters out particles and microorganisms degrade
organic matter

Source: MOREL and DIENER (2006)

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3. Design Principals
Vertical Flow (VF)

Gravel and sand filter, aquatic vegetation

Intermittent appliance (pump or syphon) of wastewater over the
whole filter surface higher O2 injection
Wastewater drains vertically through the filter layers towards a
drainage system at the bottom

Source: HOFFMANN et al. (2010)

Source: MOREL and DIENER (2006)

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3. Design Principals
Free Water Surface Flow (FWS)

Flooded and planted channels

Imitate the naturally occurring processes of a natural wetland,
marsh or swamp
Water slowly flows through the wetland (on the surface), particles
settle, pathogens are destroyed, and organisms and plants utilise
the nutrients (TILLEY et al. 2008)

Source: TILLEY et al (2008)

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3. Design Principals
Hybrid Flow
Combined CWs, sequentially arranged (usually VF and HF)
HF provide denitrification, VF nitrification
Obviously the advantages of both systems can be combined

Prototype of an integrated blackwater system (hybrid CW): UASB, followed by a vertical and then a
horizontal flow wetland).
Source: UPC (n.y.)

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4. Treatment Efficiency
Pollution Removal

Horizontal CW High reduction in BOD, suspended solids and

pathogens. Provides mainly denitrification. (TILLEY et al. 2008)
Vertical CW High reduction in BOD, suspended solids and
pathogens. Provides mainly nitrification.
Free-Surface CW High removals of suspended solids
Moderate removal of pathogens, nutrients and
other pollutants such as heavy metals (TILLEY et al. 2008)
Hybrid CW Increased performance due to a combination of
different methods (e.g. VF HF)

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4. Treatment Efficiency
Health Aspect
A CW system provides an adequate handling of wastewater and
minimises health risks caused by pathogens and avoids
contamination of the environment by untreated wastewater.
High risk of infection if contact with the liquid filter influent or the
settled sludge in the pre-treatment facility
Low risk of mosquito breeding (could be a problem of free-surface
CW due to open water surface)
Settled sludge must be disposed safe and correctly
Correct handling of treated water if used for irrigation

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5. Operation and Maintenance

CWs constantly require basic
maintenance throughout the duration
of its life but its relatively simple (no
high-tech appliances or chemical
additives). (GAUSS 2008)
It is important to ensure that primary
treatment effectively lowers organics
and solids concentrations. (TILLEY et al. 2008)
The pre-treatment facility (e.g.
septic tank) should be emptied
periodically and sludge discharged in
a safe way properly (see photo ABR
in Pune, India).
Filter material has to be replaced
every 8 to 15 years. (TILLEY et al. 2008) Source: SPUHLER (2010)

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6. Applicability

Secondary or tertiary treatment process for black, brown and

greywater
Adequate strategy if land is no limiting factor (space and costs)
Constructed wetlands are natural systems and do not require
electrical energy (unless for pumps) or chemicals
Best suited for warm climates, but can be designed to tolerate
freezing periods
CWs can be combined with many other techniques such as
aquaculture, irrigation and several pre-treatment options.

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7. Pros and Cons

Advantages: Disadvantages:
Simple O&M due to high Permanent land required
process stability Requires expert design and
No chemicals required supervision
Can be built and repaired with Moderate capital cost
locally available materials depending on land, liner, fill,
Utilisation of natural etc.; low operating costs
processes Pre-treatment is required to
Efficient removal of prevent clogging
suspended and dissolved Low tolerance to durable cold
organic matter, nutrients and climates
pathogens Electricity may be required

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8. References
COASTAL WATER WATCH (Editor) (2010): Rain Garden and Ponds. URL: http://www.coastalwaterwatch.com/product2121.htm [Accessed: 21.02.2012]
GAUSS, M.; WSP (Editor) (2008): Constructed Wetlands: A Promising Wastewater Treatment system for Small Localities. Experiences from Latin
America. Washington D.C.: The World Bank. URL: http://www.wsp.org/wsp/sites/wsp.org/files/publications/ConstructedWetlands.pdf [Accessed:
12.12.2011]
HOFFMANN, H.; PLATZER, C.; WINKER, M.; MUENCH, E., v.; GTZ (Editor) (2011): Technology Review of Constructed Wetlands. Subsurface Flow
Constructed Wetlands for Greywater and Domestic Wastewater Treatment. Eschborn: Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit GmbH
(GTZ) Sustainable sanitation - ecosan program. URL: http://www.gtz.de/en/dokumente/giz2011-en-technology-review-constructed-wetlands.pdf
[Accessed: 14.11.2011]
IPTRID (Editor) (2008): Grid IPTRID Network Magazine. February 2008. Rome: International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and
Drainage (IPTRID). URL: http://www.fao.org/landandwater/iptrid/docs/GRID28eng.pdf [Accessed: 27.06.2011]
JENSSEN, P. (n.y.): Decentralized Urban Greywater Treatment at Klosterenga Oslo. In: Ecological Engineering-Bridging between Ecology and Civil
Engineering, 84-86. URL: http://www.umb.no/statisk/ecosan/publications/Klosterenga.pdf [Accessed: 21.02.2012].
LIPKOW, U.; MUENCH, E. von (2010): Constructed Wetland for a Peri-urban Housing Area Bayawan City, Philippines. Eschborn: Sustainable Sanitation
Alliance (SuSanA). URL: http://www.susana.org/docs_ccbk/susana_download/2-51-en-susana-cs-philippines-bayawan-constr-wetlands-2009.pdf
[Accessed: 10.01.2011]
METROCOUNCIL (n.y.): Constructed Wetlands: Stormwater Wetlands. Saint Paul: Metropolitan Council. URL:
http://www.metrocouncil.org/environment/water/bmp/CH3_STConstWLSwWetland.pdf [Accessed: 21.02.2012]
MOREL, A.; DIENER, S. (2006): Greywater Management in Low and Middle-Income Countries, Review of different treatment systems for households or
neighbourhoods. Duebendorf: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science (EAWAG), Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries
(SANDEC). URL: http://www.eawag.ch/forschung/sandec/publikationen/ewm/dl/Morel_Diener_Greywater_2006.pdf [Accessed: 19.05.2010]
TILLEY, E.; LUETHY, C.; MOREL, A.; ZURBRUEGG, C.; SCHERTENLEIB, R. (2008): Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies. Duebendorf and
Geneva: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG). URL: http://www.eawag.ch/forschung/sandec/publikationen/index
[Accessed: 15.02.2010]
UN-HABITAT (Editor) (2008): Constructed Wetlands Manual. Kathmandu: UN-HABITAT, Water for Asian Cities Program. URL:
http://www.un.org.np/sites/default/files/CWManual.pdf [Accessed: 15.02.2012]
UPC (n.y.): Prototype of an Integrated Blackwater System. Barcelona: Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya.
VYMAZAL, J. (2005): Horizontal Sub-Surface Flow and Hybrid Constructed Wetlands Systems for Wastewater Treatment. Durham: Duke University
Wetland Center. URL:
http://www.uvm.edu/~atuttle/john%20todd%20copy/zanzibar/HSF%20and%20hybrid%20CW%20for%20WW%20treatment%20Vymazal.pdf [Accessed:
22.08.2011]

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