Ecological Approach of Campus Wastewater Treatment using Constructed Wetland

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the potential of constructed wetland for wastewater treatment in campus before safely discharged to water bodies. Parameters analyzed were pH, TSS, COD, BOD, oils and grease, nitrogen and phosphate. There are types of constructed wetlands, yet one used in this study was the horizontal subsurface flow with bed dimension of 1 m length x 0.5 m width x 0.5 m depth, and design flow of 0.0214 m3/d. This area was planted with Canna Sp. and used sand with a porosity of 0.42, a hydraulic conductivity of 420 and K20 of 1.84 as the medium. The effluent analysis showed the decreasing in pH from 8.15 to pH of 7.00, while other pollutant parameters decreased as TSS (57-83%), COD (85-87%), BOD (85-88%), oils and grease (85-90%), total nitrogen (91-97%), and total phosphate (97-99 %). Those parameters were able to meet the standards set by government which could be proposed as standard effluents for all universities or colleges to maintain own wastewater treatment.