Constructed wetlands to treat house wastewater in Bandung, Indonesia

A constructed wetland to treat sewage from family Subandi house has been bu ilt in Bandung, Indonesia, in February 1999 to serve as a pilot project. Wa ter samples from both influent and effluent were taken twice a month and an alysed for COD, BOD5, NO3-N, NO2-N, NH4-N, PO4-P, pH, fecal coliforms bacte ria, electrical conductivity, and settleable solids. The objective of this study was to install one constructed wetland with a vertical flow system to treat sewage from private households by using an aquatic macrophyte (Phrag mites karka). The treatment efficiency of this constructed wetland was rela tively high, although it was in operation for only eleven months. The avera ge treatment efficiencies during the period from March 1999 to January 2000 for NH4-N, PO4-P, fecal coliform bacteria, BOD5 and COD were 90.54%, 68.59 %, 99.99%, 85.58%, and 81.08%, respectively. These results are very promisi ng with respect to the use of constructed wetland to be installed and devel oped in tropical countries, especially in Indonesia as a viable alternative to conventional wastewater technology, because this system is cost effecti ve and simple.