Annual Performance Assessment of a Vertical Constructed Wetland for University Campus Wastewater Treatment

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of constructed wetlands using various substrates. Method: Over a period of 12 months (Jan 2024 to Dec 2024), raw and treated wastewater samples were collected at an interval of 10 days and their quality was assessed based on the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity (EC), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids(TDS), total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and total phosphorus (TP). Findings: After treatment, the concentrations of these parameters were reduced by 30 to 70 percent. Comparing all three substrates, the trend for BOD and COD removal is as follows: red burnt brick aggregate, then fly ash brick aggregate, and least in stone aggregate. Red burnt brick aggregate achieves the greatest removal rates. In contrast, the trend for TSS removal followed as stone aggregate > fly ash brick aggregate > red burnt brick aggregate. Novelty: The study provides a cost-effective way to use treated water for landscape irrigation. It was expected that the study's outcome would reveal the long-term performance of constructed wetlands under outdoor weather conditions, influenced by season, in treating wastewater in rural areas using vertical-flow constructed wetlands. Keywords: Fly ash brick, Red burnt brick, Sustainable, Vertical constructed wetland