Potential for Greater Use of Wetlands for Waste Treatment in Northern Canada

Abstract

The use of wetlands for low-cost and energy-efficient treatment of municipal wastewater is not a new process. In the Northwest Territories, Canada, wetlands have not been used much for wastewater treatment due to the lack of adequate design criteria. As a first step toward greater use, the current status of technology for using wetlands for wastewater treatment has been reviewed. The potential for use of wetlands for municipal wastewater treatment in the Northwest Territories is evaluated. At present, the design of wetland systems for municipal wastewater treatment is based on an empirical approach. There are only a few design models available, which have been tested with limited southern data. The critical design parameter for wetland systems is the hydraulic loading rate, while the organic loading rate is used as a check to ensure that aerobic conditions prevail in the wetland system.