Constructed Wetlands Process for Treating Sewage to Improve the Quantitative and Qualitative Management of Groundwater Resources

Abstract

Water scarcity limits access to safe water for drinking and communities face some form of water stress, which can be related to insufficient supplies or inadequate infrastructures. Climate change plays a crucial role in water stress worldwide, as rising temperatures lead to more unpredictable weather and extreme weather events. In face of this challenge, the need to seek an alternative to protect groundwater resources and to decrease the use of public water is imposed. Sewage management seems to be a significant treatment of removing contaminants and undesirable components from polluted waters and safely return it to environment for irrigation and other uses. For this consideration, many treatment technologies are discussed in the literature including biological, physical and chemical processes. Among biological processes principally used for the treatment of sewage figured constructed wetlands. Constructed wetland system is considered as an economic, efficient and environmentally friendly sewage treatment method, based on adsorption and retention of pollutants by substrates, sorption by plants, and decomposition by microorganisms. Therefore, the chapter of this book throws will light on the principal mechanisms responsible to organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus removal in different types of constructed wetlands, and provides recommendations concerning the factors affecting pollutants removal performance of constructed wetlands from sewage.

A Critical Review of Green Approach on Wastewater Treatment Strategies

“…In a constructed wetland, wastewater is first treated to remove large particles and solids before being directed into a bed of gravel or soil. The bed is then planted with a variety of wetland plants, such as cattails, reeds, and rushes, which help to absorb and filter out pollutants (Achak et al 2023). As the water flows through the bed, it comes into contact with the plants' roots and the microorganisms that live in the soil, which break down organic matter and convert nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus into forms that are less harmful to the environment.…”

Integrated Process of Immediate One-Step Lime Precipitation, Atmospheric Carbonation, Constructed Wetlands, or Adsorption for Industrial Wastewater Treatment: A Review

“…The author observed that hyacinth plants were able to increase the BOD/COD ratio of industrial wastewater from 0.05-0.11 to 0.30-0.52, with simultaneous high-significant COD removals. However, for better efficiency of constructed wetlands, pretreatment of wastewater is necessary to remove various contaminants (e.g., TSS) and thus reduce the potential risk of system clogging [42]. The precipitation of nondegradable pollutants on the substrate surface is also one of the reasons for clogging [43].…”