Constructed wetlands: a solution to water quality issues in Mexico?

Abstract

Historically, water sanitation has not been a priority for any sector of society in Mexico, and substantial technical and ecological problems exist in this country's wastewater treatment systems. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have proven to be an exceptional alternative, particularly for rural areas in developing countries. This paper identifies the status of research on CWs in Mexico, and discusses the possibilities for their use. Our review showed that interest in CWs in Mexico is growing exponentially, particularly in academic institutions. Consequently, published documents are mostly on experimental wetlands, although there are a few experienced groups devoted to producing technology and providing training needed to apply CWs. CWs are generally used for domestic wastewater treatment, disregarding other pollution sources such as agriculture and industry. Rural communities have the most potential to obtain and apply this technology, but unfortunately their degree of use of these systems is still very low. The current status of research and application of CWs leads to a few options discussed in this paper to promote their use in Mexico, taking into account that the success of these alternatives can only be achieved by partnering with governments, water treatment companies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and rural communities.