Artificial Wetlands for Wastewater Management
Since it's coming up on Ground Water Awareness Week - who knew an official week existed for Ground Water?! - I'm posting a paper I wrote for my assemblywoman and a few town officials in the area.
The primary reason for using Artificial Wetlands for our wastewater management is outlined both in the paper, and in understanding the basic "ground water hydrology". I learn more good words because of this blog!
So - read the above, and then read the paper. I've written another that I am sending to Mother Earth News with the hopes of it being printed. We'll see. Until then, I can't post it here as it would violate their publishing policies. Wah.
NYS's fact sheet on ground water
Introduction
In the 1700’s, NYS had approximately 2.6 million acres of natural wetlands. By the 1980’s, 60% of these wetlands had been destroyed by agriculture, industry, housing development and water overuse. Since Federal Regulatory rollbacks during the 1990’s, NYS has an infamous position as one of the top 15 states for wetland destruction. (Riverkeeper.org)
What we are failing to understand, but other states and nations are seizing upon is that wetlands provide a vital service of purifying our water for future use.
Example
Egypt, as a developing nation, faces an increasing need for water purification without the funding or resources to treat their human black water. From 2000 to 2004, they focused on a low-tech solution to this low-tech issue of sewage treatment – the construction of a 60-acre artificial wetland adjacent to natural wetlands at ¼ the cost of conventional sewage treatment for a comparable volume of sewage. The initial volume of sewage treated was 25,000 metric tons (1 mt = 2205 pounds) per day. However, after a year of use, it was determined the wetland was capable of treating 40,000 metric tons per day. This increase in treatment volume increases the value of the initial investment of $9 million (US) even more than the initial estimated savings over conventional treatment facilities.
For Egypt, maintenance costs are nothing, with local livestock handlers cutting the reeds for feed at no cost to them. It has also improved the local fisheries by lowering the contamination of the waterways with nitrates and heavy metals, improving the health and size of the fish. This, in turn, has improved the local fishing industry. The combination of factors has substantially improved the local economy, the health of the local population and the environment surrounding them. It has thus piqued the interest of other locales within Egypt to assist in solving poverty, health issues and environmental imbalance with a very low overall cost. (WaterWiki.net)
History
The idea and development of artificial wetlands to treat human wastewater began in Germany during the 1970’s. The research included the optimal size of each wetland “cell”, ideal plant life to act as biofilters to remove solids, nitrates, and heavy metals, and ideal delivery methods of the black water. And while the very convincing data was collected quickly and with great success, the promotion of the technology failed miserably.
In roughly 30 years, only 600 US communities have seized upon the opportunity to reduce their costs and environmental impact, compared to Taiwan, which filters 230,000 metric tons per day (19% of their population’s waste) with 43 artificial wetlands and at a cost of only $17.7 million (US). (Taipei Times)
Technology
Artificial wetlands can be adapted to any environment, from sub-arctic to a desert climate due to the microorganisms living among the reed and grass roots, filtering 90% of the contaminants. The reeds and grasses, absorbing the nitrates and heavy metals the microorganisms make available through the breakdown of the solids, manage the final 10%. Native species to each region are used as often as possible, allowing native wildlife to flourish as well, with virtually no risk to the wildlife.
Depending on the region that adopts the artificial wetlands for black water purification, native soils may be used to form the cells, furthering the environmental improvements. Also, 2 forms of black water delivery have been developed to allow easier adaptation to climate, land availability and purpose. A subsurface delivery of the black water occurs through a gravel substrate into the root zone of the reeds and grasses, allowing less land to be used and a lower risk of mosquito infestation. A surface delivery requires more land, but allows for a larger variety of soils used as the walls and floor of the cells, can absorb storm run off more efficiently and is superior to sustaining native wildlife, which in turn controls mosquito infestations.
A hybridization of the artificial wetland is being met with equal success, by incorporating septic tanks, grinder pumps and aerators into the delivery system of the black water.
Studies
Studies at several universities within the US and Canada are proving the successes sited at a diverse range of communities, from CO to AZ to NY and NH. The communities within these states (and others) have known for more than a decade the artificial wetland is comparable (if not superior) to conventional sewage treatment with the added benefit of substantially lower costs, less odor management issues, wildlife recovery and improved property values. Appropriately designed and observed, these designed ecospheres allow for less contaminated effluent to escape during storms, increase wildlife habitat and increase in quality of life for their communities.
Research done at the University of Nevada has determined their climate’s ideal cell size is 30’ x 130’ x 38”, which can handle 7500 gallons per day with a construction cost of approximately $185,000, including twice yearly checks and pump maintenance.
Some studies have stated cells fill more quickly with residual solids, making the cells’ life cycle shorter than the 20-30 year projection given by professionals. This can be remedied in a way similar to Milwaukee’s solution to their bio-solids removal for over 80 years. In the early 1900’s, after adopting the newly designed process of the activated sludge process, there was still a volume of bio-solids that needed to be disposed of. After analyzing the solids, it was determined the solids could be utilized as an organic fertilizer marketed to commercial growers, landscapers and golf courses with a superior growing result to artificial (and more expensive) fertilizers marketed with great success following WWII. Milorganite has since been marketed at the consumer level as well as the commercial growers, with continued success. (Milorganite.com)
By draining a cell, moving the established flora to a new cell and then dredging the full cell will allow for the use of the accumulated matter by the community, renewing the cell for use once again.
Adaptation
The most recent adaptation of the artificial wetlands is in the CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) Industry. CAFOs have discovered the lagoons created by the bovine and swine they raise can be effectively managed with the artificial wetlands. The wetlands virtually eliminate smell, the need for pesticides to manage insect infestation of the waste lagoons, and the health hazard the lagoon once posed at identical cost. Along with these obvious bonuses to the investment, the location of the CAFO greatly improved by the sight of wetland grasses and reeds versus the previous lagoon of waste.
What If
The August, 2005 lagoon breach in Lowville, NY could have been prevented if it had incorporated this solution, avoiding the death of nearly 250,000 fish over a roughly 40 mile run to Lake Ontario, where the effluent ultimately settled. (DawnWatch.com)
The flood of 2006 suffered by multiple counties in upstate NY and PA would have caused far less damage to the Chesapeake Bay, had the communities affected used artificial wetlands to treat their sewage and wastewater.
Links
University of NV contact information:
Angela O’Callaghan
AREA SPECIALIST
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA
The paper presents an introduction to EcoSan principles and concepts including re-use aspects (available nutrients and occurring risks), and case studies of EcoSan concepts in both industrialized and developing countries.
EcoWaters
Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, BOKU—University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Links to companies and researchers working on artificial wetlands for blackwater treatment
Constructed Wetlands
Ohio State Research Paper
The primary reason for using Artificial Wetlands for our wastewater management is outlined both in the paper, and in understanding the basic "ground water hydrology". I learn more good words because of this blog!
So - read the above, and then read the paper. I've written another that I am sending to Mother Earth News with the hopes of it being printed. We'll see. Until then, I can't post it here as it would violate their publishing policies. Wah.
NYS's fact sheet on ground water
Introduction
In the 1700’s, NYS had approximately 2.6 million acres of natural wetlands. By the 1980’s, 60% of these wetlands had been destroyed by agriculture, industry, housing development and water overuse. Since Federal Regulatory rollbacks during the 1990’s, NYS has an infamous position as one of the top 15 states for wetland destruction. (Riverkeeper.org)
What we are failing to understand, but other states and nations are seizing upon is that wetlands provide a vital service of purifying our water for future use.
Example
Egypt, as a developing nation, faces an increasing need for water purification without the funding or resources to treat their human black water. From 2000 to 2004, they focused on a low-tech solution to this low-tech issue of sewage treatment – the construction of a 60-acre artificial wetland adjacent to natural wetlands at ¼ the cost of conventional sewage treatment for a comparable volume of sewage. The initial volume of sewage treated was 25,000 metric tons (1 mt = 2205 pounds) per day. However, after a year of use, it was determined the wetland was capable of treating 40,000 metric tons per day. This increase in treatment volume increases the value of the initial investment of $9 million (US) even more than the initial estimated savings over conventional treatment facilities.
For Egypt, maintenance costs are nothing, with local livestock handlers cutting the reeds for feed at no cost to them. It has also improved the local fisheries by lowering the contamination of the waterways with nitrates and heavy metals, improving the health and size of the fish. This, in turn, has improved the local fishing industry. The combination of factors has substantially improved the local economy, the health of the local population and the environment surrounding them. It has thus piqued the interest of other locales within Egypt to assist in solving poverty, health issues and environmental imbalance with a very low overall cost. (WaterWiki.net)
History
The idea and development of artificial wetlands to treat human wastewater began in Germany during the 1970’s. The research included the optimal size of each wetland “cell”, ideal plant life to act as biofilters to remove solids, nitrates, and heavy metals, and ideal delivery methods of the black water. And while the very convincing data was collected quickly and with great success, the promotion of the technology failed miserably.
In roughly 30 years, only 600 US communities have seized upon the opportunity to reduce their costs and environmental impact, compared to Taiwan, which filters 230,000 metric tons per day (19% of their population’s waste) with 43 artificial wetlands and at a cost of only $17.7 million (US). (Taipei Times)
Technology
Artificial wetlands can be adapted to any environment, from sub-arctic to a desert climate due to the microorganisms living among the reed and grass roots, filtering 90% of the contaminants. The reeds and grasses, absorbing the nitrates and heavy metals the microorganisms make available through the breakdown of the solids, manage the final 10%. Native species to each region are used as often as possible, allowing native wildlife to flourish as well, with virtually no risk to the wildlife.
Depending on the region that adopts the artificial wetlands for black water purification, native soils may be used to form the cells, furthering the environmental improvements. Also, 2 forms of black water delivery have been developed to allow easier adaptation to climate, land availability and purpose. A subsurface delivery of the black water occurs through a gravel substrate into the root zone of the reeds and grasses, allowing less land to be used and a lower risk of mosquito infestation. A surface delivery requires more land, but allows for a larger variety of soils used as the walls and floor of the cells, can absorb storm run off more efficiently and is superior to sustaining native wildlife, which in turn controls mosquito infestations.
A hybridization of the artificial wetland is being met with equal success, by incorporating septic tanks, grinder pumps and aerators into the delivery system of the black water.
Studies
Studies at several universities within the US and Canada are proving the successes sited at a diverse range of communities, from CO to AZ to NY and NH. The communities within these states (and others) have known for more than a decade the artificial wetland is comparable (if not superior) to conventional sewage treatment with the added benefit of substantially lower costs, less odor management issues, wildlife recovery and improved property values. Appropriately designed and observed, these designed ecospheres allow for less contaminated effluent to escape during storms, increase wildlife habitat and increase in quality of life for their communities.
Research done at the University of Nevada has determined their climate’s ideal cell size is 30’ x 130’ x 38”, which can handle 7500 gallons per day with a construction cost of approximately $185,000, including twice yearly checks and pump maintenance.
Some studies have stated cells fill more quickly with residual solids, making the cells’ life cycle shorter than the 20-30 year projection given by professionals. This can be remedied in a way similar to Milwaukee’s solution to their bio-solids removal for over 80 years. In the early 1900’s, after adopting the newly designed process of the activated sludge process, there was still a volume of bio-solids that needed to be disposed of. After analyzing the solids, it was determined the solids could be utilized as an organic fertilizer marketed to commercial growers, landscapers and golf courses with a superior growing result to artificial (and more expensive) fertilizers marketed with great success following WWII. Milorganite has since been marketed at the consumer level as well as the commercial growers, with continued success. (Milorganite.com)
By draining a cell, moving the established flora to a new cell and then dredging the full cell will allow for the use of the accumulated matter by the community, renewing the cell for use once again.
Adaptation
The most recent adaptation of the artificial wetlands is in the CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) Industry. CAFOs have discovered the lagoons created by the bovine and swine they raise can be effectively managed with the artificial wetlands. The wetlands virtually eliminate smell, the need for pesticides to manage insect infestation of the waste lagoons, and the health hazard the lagoon once posed at identical cost. Along with these obvious bonuses to the investment, the location of the CAFO greatly improved by the sight of wetland grasses and reeds versus the previous lagoon of waste.
What If
The August, 2005 lagoon breach in Lowville, NY could have been prevented if it had incorporated this solution, avoiding the death of nearly 250,000 fish over a roughly 40 mile run to Lake Ontario, where the effluent ultimately settled. (DawnWatch.com)
The flood of 2006 suffered by multiple counties in upstate NY and PA would have caused far less damage to the Chesapeake Bay, had the communities affected used artificial wetlands to treat their sewage and wastewater.
Links
University of NV contact information:
Angela O’Callaghan
AREA SPECIALIST
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA
The paper presents an introduction to EcoSan principles and concepts including re-use aspects (available nutrients and occurring risks), and case studies of EcoSan concepts in both industrialized and developing countries.
EcoWaters
Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, BOKU—University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Links to companies and researchers working on artificial wetlands for blackwater treatment
Constructed Wetlands
Ohio State Research Paper
Labels: article, water, water conservation, water tables, wetlands
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