The performance of Pilot-scale Constructed Wetland for treating Stormwater

Abstract

Constructed wetlands (CW) have been recognized as one of the environmental friendly technologies and successfully used for treating a diverse range of wastewaters. CW also suitable for native wetland plants and associated fauna habitat. In an urban environment likes university campus, a constructed wetland can provide as an educational and attractive green space for learning, teaching and research activities. This work focused on the performance of pilot-scale constructed wetlands as a sustainable wastewater treatment for treating and reusing the stormwater in the mini-reservoir situated in campus area. In this study, there were two tanks of pilot-scale CW with vertical subsurface flow (VSF) and horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) systems. Both was planted with the Cat-tail Typha Angustifolia and Tube Sedge in removal of total suspended solid (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) of the stormwater in the mini-reservoir in campus. The CW without any plants referred as a control system. The results show that the CW with vertical subsurface flow (VSF) system able to remove all parameters better that horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) system. The highest percentage of removal of all parameters was at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 5 hours and percentage of removal increased with an increase in HRT. The percentage of removal for total suspended solid (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) approximately 85%, 70%, 68% and 25%. Thus, the constructed wetland had the potential to increase the waste water quality level.