Waste Water Treatment Using Plants (Reed Bed System)

Sustainable Water Solutions for a

Better Tomorrow

ByL.V.Keshav Dr Ajit S GokhaleEcoserve Natural solutions

OUR ISION To help Mother Nature Heal Herself

OUR MISSION

To help ecofriendly initiatives

and

To spread environmental literacy

We Help …

Corporates Housing Societies

IndividualsUrban and Rural

NGOs Institutions

ArchitectsBuilders and Developers

Appropriate application of wastewater Treatment Technology

& Site Specific Structures

are key to our success

Wastewater = Good Water + impurities

Treatment of wastewater only means removal

of impurities from it ….. which is easier said

than done

It needs various technologies to do this

Wastewater Treament

Wastewater treatment Technologies

Aerobic

In presence of O2Needs care to maintain O2 levels

Aeration neededEnergy intensive

Less StinkBut spreads aerosols

Activated Sludge Trickling Filters RB Discs etc etc etcDifficult to operate and maintain

Need competent operators & equipments

Anaerobic

In absence of O2Sensitive to toxics

Aeration not needed

Easy To OperateLengthy startup periods, needs other treatments

Septic tanks Biogas plants Anaerobic digestersIt stinks, the treated water can not be directly

reused. It needs further treatments

Water in Urban Space …

Techniques of wastewater treatment

Conventional

Variants of Activated SludgeSystem

Energy Intensive Mechanized High O & MDifficult to maintain

Medium foot print

Reed Beds

Types of ConstructedWetlands

Simple O & MEasy to operateEnergy friendly

Large Foot print

Membrane based

MembraneBio-Reactors

Heavy costsSophisticated Automation

Small Foot Print

Types of Urban wastewater

Commercial

Grey

Domestic

Black

Kitchen

Bath Toilets

Example of Site Specific Wastewater management

Water in Urban Space …

Quality of wastewater

Bath water

Simple No stink

Soap WaterDetergents BOD – 50COD – 200

40 %

Kitchen

Not so simple Develops stink

Food waste, oils,Soap, detergent BOD – 100COD – 200

20 %

Toilets

Difficult Stinks

Human Waste PathogensBOD – 500COD – 900

40 %

Customized to site conditions and

Operator confidence

Combines Best of various types

Aerobic, anaerobic and physical

Low maintenance Low expenditure

Enhances Beauty of the location

User friendly… AMC / O & M available

OUR Approach

• Also known as bio-filters, constructed wetland systems and Root zone systems

• Kind of Biotechnology…uses Natural Systems in engineered form for treating wastewater

• Employs three types of Microbes …anaerobic, facultative and aerobic bacteria working side by side in natural environment. Anaerobes thrive where aerobes can’t. Filling media and plants provide shelter to both

• Waste of one is food of other.

Reed Bed Systems Reed Bed Systems

Salient Features

• No complicated setups

• No electricity wastage for aeration

• No costly imported equipments

• No moving parts

• No need of highly trained manpower For operations and maintenance

… … Reed Bed Systems … … Reed Bed Systems

• Operationally Simple Natural systems

• Power saving systems

• Easy to Operate and maintain

• Rejuvenates ecosystems

• Can be modeled into parks and jogging tracks

• De-centralized systems

… … Reed Bed Systems … … Reed Bed Systems

• Originated in modern times in Max Plank Institute, Germany.

• Prof kickuth and others observed wastewater treatment abilities of natural wetlands-1960

• Since then there has been continuous development of the technology … use of acclimatized microbes and other additives have improved the efficiency

… … Reed Bed Systems … … Reed Bed Systems

• Consist of a lined tank filled with coarse mixture of high porosity

• Highly efficient sewage treating bacterial mixture and supporting media.

• Specially selected, acclimatized flowering plants are used in the system.

• Roots of plants in association with bacteria give an effective sewage treatment.

• This system remains functional … Naturally

… … Reed Bed Systems … … Reed Bed Systems

… … Reed Bed Systems … … Reed Bed Systems

Coarse media and bacteria Interacting with roots For landscaping

… … Reed Bed Systems … … Reed Bed Systems

Coarse media and bacteria Interacting with roots

Root hair

Aerobic zone

Facultative zone

Anaerobic zone

Thus in a Reed Bed, all the types of microbes are properly maintained. They work in synergistic manner to treat the wastewater

Advanced Compact Reed Bed System Schematic Diagram

Bathwater

AutomatedRe-Circulation & Aeration System

Reed Bed SystemTwo Chambered Micron Filtration System

Usage

3000 lit / day Bath Wastewater Reed Bed System A large Bungalow in Khar

Wishing All of you abundance of

Clean Air Pure Water

Healthy Food And

Healthy Body & Rich Soul