Patents
The invention relates to a system and method for the treatment of wastewater using plants. The wastewater is domestic wastewater, commercial establishment wastewater, animal wastewater, and agricultural runoff as well as storm water runoff. The system of the invention is a natural wastewater treatment system relying on ecosystem processes, such as nitrification and mineralization for contaminant removal. The system design also effects physical removal of fine suspended solids. This system consists of channel or cell or bed, filled with crushed stones, sand and crushed bricks or similar materials and planted with aquatic or semi aquatic plants species such as cattails (Typha sps.), elephant grasses (Penniseium purpurem) canny lily (Canna sps.), dwarf palm (Cyperus altemifolius), arrow arum (Peltandra Virginia), elephant ear (Colocasia esculenta), sweet flag (Acorus calamus), woolgrass (Scirpus sps.), yellow flag iris (Iris pseudocorus), soft rush (Juncus effuses), and horsetail (Equisetum hyemale). System consists of three zones, namely the infed or inlet zone, treatment zone and outfed or outlet zone. In treatment zone, aquatic or semi aquatic plants are grown through which the treatment of wastewater is carried out using bacteria attached to the roots profile of the plants. Treated wastewater may be used for gardening, irrigation purpose or recreational uses such as bathing, golf parks, etc. or discharged to the lakes, creeks, estuaries or sea.