Design of a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment and reuse in Mount Pleasant, Utah

Abstract

Constructed wetlands are engineered and managed wetland systems that are increasingly receiving worldwide attention for wastewater treatment and reclamation. Compared to conventional treatment plants, constructed wetlands are cost-effective and easily operated and maintained, and they have a strong potential for application in a small community like Mount Pleasant, a city in central Utah that has available land but technology and budget constraints.

Water is a serious concern in this area due to the local dry climate and limited freshwater resources. Reclaiming and reusing the treated wastewater would create an alternate water source for irrigation by reducing demand on potable water sources utilized for drinking water. This study introduces a constructed wetland system to Mount Pleasant for secondary treatment of their wastewater and to make the effluent water suitable for irrigation. By studying the existing wastewater quality, local climate, site condition, water policies and future demands, this study presents a model of constructed wetland for Mount Pleasant and evaluates the practicality of this model in wastewater treatment and reuse. The study results show that a constructed wetland coupled with the existing evaporation pond provides at least 87% removal of pollutants in the wastewater treatment process and that the effluent water qualifies for both agriculture and landscape irrigation. Future considerations in choosing constructed wetlands as a wastewater treatment system in other communities with needs similar to those of Mount Pleasant are highlighted in the study.