Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A New Concept In Treating Wastewaters ... "Constructed Wetlands", Anastasios D. Karathanasis

Soil Science News and Views

During the last few years a new technology for treating municipal and industrial waste water has emerged, which also shows some potential for treatment of farm and home wastewaters. This technology involves the construction of "artificial wetlands" and establishing a dominant vegetation of Typha (cattails), Sphagnum (moss), certain algae, and other plant species which have the potential to beneficially affect small flows of waste water moving through them by biochemical processes. Interest in these systems has steadily increased because of their low cost (1/10 to 1/2 that of conventional treatment), efficiency, and near nonexistent maintenance. These "constructed wetland" biochemical-treatment systems …