Constructed wetlands

Reed bed treatment systems (RBTS) or Constructed Wetlands, as they are sometimes known are artificially created wetlands. First used by the Chinese more than two thousand years ago, reed beds have an ability to treat wastewaters (effluents) by removing specific levels of contaminants / pollutants from wastewater prior to discharge.

Reed beds, though simple, can provide all the mechanisms for effluent treatment and achieve similar reductions in the concentrations of contaminants of more complex equipment or structures but they can do it without the need for power and moving parts at a much lower cost (up to 10-50% cheaper than conventional treatments) and have low service/maintenance requirements.

They offer minimal visual impact and little smell and provide a sustainable alternative to chemical based wastewater treatments.

Reed beds are effective because of three factors:

Plants.

Reeds are aquatic plants which grow in or near water. The most common species used in RBTS are the common reed (Phragmites australis) and the broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia); however, other aquatic plants may be used. The reed roots provide additional channels for the water to pass through the matrix and introduce oxygen to the root zone. This increases the capacity of the system for aerobic bacterial decomposition of organic pollutants.

Media.

Reeds are planted into a matrix of for example gravel and sand. Micro-organisms attach themselves to the media, therefore the greater the surface area, the greater the potential for microbial contaminant removal.

Microbial activity.

Micro-organisms are responsible for the decomposition of organic compounds and are particularly important for the removal of ammonia.

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