Constructed Wetlands

Abstract

Constructed Wetlands are an alternative, promising technology for water/wastewater treatment and pollution mitigation. They belong to the wider category of natural treatment systems. The main principle is to exploit natural materials (gravel, sand, plants) and naturally occurring processes under controlled conditions for treatment purposes. Constructed Wetlands have been characterized as an environmentally friendly, sustainable technology which provides multiple economic, ecological, technical and societal benefits. It is a rising technology which can be effectively used for domestic, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, as also for sludge dewatering and drying. This chapter presents an overview of this eco-technology; its different types, main design considerations and various advantages over conventional treatment methods.