Reuse of Treated Domestic Wastewater by Employing Artificial Wetlands in Panama

Abstract

Reuse of treated wastewater in irrigation is an alternative to achieve greater water availability and benefits to the soil due to its nutrient content. It represents a solution to challenges in water management, climate change and water scarcity in dry seasons. In Panama’s Dry Arch, the lack of water is critical during dry season months, which makes it essential to look for sustainable alternatives as water source. This paper describes the use of artificial wetlands with horizontal subsurface flow, and we are going to use partially treated domestic wastewater. The aquatic plant types employed were Echinochloa polystachya (German grass) and Brachiaria arrecta (Tanner grass) with the objective of improve the quality of the effluent from the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Chitre for the irrigation of forages. This study was carried out from August to December 2019. Fine Gravel was used in this study as a substrate. The parameters analyzed were pH, Total dissolved solids, Electrical Conductivity, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Turbidity, Chlorides, Sulfates, Iron, Chromium+6, Copper; nutrients such as Total nitrogen and Total phosphorus. Fecal coliforms were also analyzed. Results showed that treated wastewater is a viable alternative for irrigation due to its high nutrient content, but it must be managed safely so as not to generate risks to public health.