Design of an efficient constructed wetland prototype for sustainable wastewater treatment in developing countries: A community case study in Mexico
Dagoberto Ruiz, S.A. Gamboa, Laura Alicia Paniagua-Solar, Nallely Téllez, Teresa Zayas
Abstract
Water pollution from wastewater discharge has severe health effects, particularly in developing countries. In Mexico, rural communities lack wastewater treatment systems. One solution to this problem is to use constructed wetlands with low construction, maintenance, and operational costs, while effectively removing contaminants. A study conducted in southern Mexico evaluated the performance of a laboratory-scale subsurface flow artificial wetland under the actual operating conditions. The results showed that this system achieved high removal efficiencies of 98 % for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ), 89.02 % for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 84.09 % for phosphate (P), 94.6 % for total nitrogen (Nt), and 95.31 % for total suspended solids (TSS). These results suggest that the implementation of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in the rural regions of southern Mexico could significantly reduce environmental pollution at a much lower cost than conventional wastewater treatment facilities. • Optimized wetland design for wastewater processing. • The prototype complies with local regulations. • Significant reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus levels achieved in the wetland system. • Environmentally friendly approaches suitable for use in developing countries. • Wetland-based systems are alternatives to conventional wastewater treatment facilities.