Artificial wetlands

A"natural"alterna*ve"to"clean"""wastewater"(gray"waters)"

What is an artificial wetland?

•  An"ar*ficial"wetland"is"an"impermeable"excava*on"for"trea*ng"wastewaters.""

Wastewater"is"generally"discharged"without"any"treatment,"at"the"end"this"prac*ce"pollutes"the"environment."

How to build a artificial

wetland?

BEFORE YOU START Check ground conditions

•  The"ar*ficial"wetland"must"be" located"lower"(25cm/10”)"than"the"wastewater"outlet.""

•  At" a" distance" of" 32,81" I." (10m)," there" should" not" be" a"change" in" level" greater" than" 20”." Otherwise," it" will"be"necessary"to"level"it."

•  Verify" that" the" space"where" the"wetland" is" going" to" be"built"is"free"from"old"pipes,"sewers"or"sep*c"tanks."

•  Clear"the"chosen"field"from"weeds"and"others."""

BEFORE YOU START Estimation of materials

•  To"build"a"wetland"it"is"vital"to"consider"three"factors:"the"number"of"people"living"in"the"house,"the"monthly"consump*on"of"water"and"the"soil"type."

•  To"es*mate"the"materials"required,"consult"an"experienced"technician"in"construc*on"of"ar*ficial"wetlands."

•  See"tables"at"the"end"of"the"presenta*on."

Measure""the"final"size"of"the"wetland"according"to"its"final"dimensions.""

Remember"to"leave"a"space"between"the"outlet"of"waste"water"and"the"place"where"the"primary"tanks"are"going"to"be"located."""

"Placement"of"the"stakes"in"a"square"or"straight"angle"

Heights"and"levels"are"measured."

"""""The"excava*on"of"the"wetland"begins.""

The"depth"of"the"excava*on"should""be"about"70cm/28”"

Check""the"length"and"depth"of"the"excava*on"con*nuously."

Also"confirm"the"type"of"soil."

TYPES OF SOIL

•  Sandy When"holding"it"with"the"hands,"it"slips"through"your"fingers."""•  Clayey It"is"s*cky,"such"as"mud.""•  Mixed A"combina*on"of"both.""

Once"the"excava*on"is"done,"the"ground"is"compacted."

Clay"soils"do"not"require"plas*c,"just"compacta*on."

"Cover"the"boYom"and"edges"of"excava*on"with"cardboard""in"order"to"protect"the"plas*c"that"is"

going"to"be"used."

Now"cover"the"cardboard"with"a"piece"of"thick"plas*c."

Again,"cover"the"plas*c"with"cardboard"and"hold"it"with"stones"along"the"edge"of"the"digging,"so"that"rainwater"does"not"

penetrate"the"excava*on.""

The"perforated"pipe"is"used"to"verify"the"length"of"the"biojardinera."

Then"proceed"to"join"the"parts"of"the"perforated"tube"with"glue."

"•  The" wetland" is" divided" in" three" parts:" at" its" ends," coarse"

stones" and" perforated" inlet" and" outlet" pipes" are" placed,"smaller"rocks"and"plants"will"be"placed"at"the"center."

"•  The" wetland" is" divided" in" three" parts:" at" its" ends," coarse"

stones" and" perforated" inlet" and" outlet" pipes" are" placed,"smaller"rocks"and"plants"will"be"placed"at"the"center."

"•  The" wetland" is" divided" in" three" parts:" at" its" ends," coarse"

stones" and" perforated" inlet" and" outlet" pipes" are" placed,"smaller"rocks"and"plants"will"be"placed"at"the"center."

The"stones"should"carefully"placed"in"order"not"to"break"the"plas*c."

""Larger"stones"are"stacked"at"both"ends"of"the"wetland"to"create"a"wall"of"approximately"30cm/1I"wide,"where"the"inlet"and"outlet"pipes"are"respec*vely"placed."""

This"tube"is"placed"horizontally"on"several"layers"of"stone"reaching"60cm/2I"high,"5cm/2”"apart"from"the"wall."A"ver*cal"tube"is"placed"which"connects"to"the"primary"treatment"tank."

Inlet pipe

Outlet pipe This"tube"is"placed""

horizontally"on"a"layer"of"stone""of"10cm/4”"thick,""

and"5cm/2”"from"the"wall."In"this"tube"is"placed"a"ver*cal"tube"which"goes"out"from"the"

wetland."""

"Now"proceed"to"fill"the"central"part"of"the"excava*on"with"small"

stones,"evenly"covering"the"walls"of"larger"stones.""

Check"the"difference"in"height""from"the"inlet""pipe"to"the"outlet"pipe"

PRIMARY TREATMENT Measuring"and"drilling"of"the"tanks"

The"primary"treatment"is"to"retain"fat"and"solid"waste"remaining"when"washing"dishes,"

"food"or"shower.""

Installa*on"pipe"the"in"the"perfora*on"of"the"tank.""

The"tanks"are"leveled"and"conected"with"a"pipe.""

Perfora*ons"must"be"located"at"opposite"sides"of"the"tank"in"order"to"place"the"T"joints."

Inside"each"tank,"two"T"joints"are"placed:"one"for"water"inlet,"the"other"for"water"outlet."The"hole"is"sealed"with"silicon"to"prevent"

leaks."

Inside each tank, there must be two segments of pipe

The"first"tube"works"as"an"inlet"from"the"water"coming"from"the"house."This"tube"is""15cm/6”"long.""

The"second"tube"is"the"outlet,"and"it"is"longer"than"the"first"one."This"pipe"must"be"25cm/9½”."Due"to"this"length,"it"will"collect"cleaner"water"because"the"fat"will"float"over"the"water."

!"

"The"tanks"are"placed"leveled,"50cm/20”"from"the"wetland.""!

Each"tank"must"be"leveled"with"the"other.""

In"the"first"container,"insert"a"ven*la*on"tube."To"prevent"bad"odors,"its"height"must"be"higher"than"the"house.""

Using"a"concrete""mix"and"sand,"build"a"border"around"the"edge"of"the"wetland,"in"order"to"prevent"rain"water"geeng"into"the"

wetland.""

Plant"vascular"species"once"the"wetland"has"enough"water.""

The"plants"must"be"planted"15cm/6”""under"the"water"level"at"least."Keep"a"distance"of"40g50cm/16g20”"one"from"each"other."""

Maintenance of the wetland : •  Before"washing"the"dishes"and"cooking"utensils,"the"organic"wastes"and"fat"

must"be"cleaned"with"a"napkin.""

""""

•  The"primary"thank"must"be"cleaned."!

Wear"protec*ve"gloves."Use"a"colander"to"remove"the"fat"floa*ng"on"the"surface"and"also"clean"the"solids"from"the"boYom.""

Give"the"wastes"and"adequate"management."""Keep"record"of"the"maintenance"with"the"date.""

•  Finally,"once"the"waste"water"is"treated,"it"can"be"released"back"into"the"rivers,"with"the"warranty,"that""it"would"not"have"a"nega*ve"impact"in"the"environment."""

"•  This"water"can"be"used"to"water"

the"plants,"wash"a"car"or"pour"it"back"into"the"river.""