Hydraulic performance of small free water surface constructed wetlands treating sugar factory effluent in western Kenya

This study investigated, usinga iithium salt tracer, how macrophyte species and hydraulic ioading rate (HLR) of wastewater infiuenced hydrauiics in constructed wetiands (CWs). Four piiot-scale CWs received 45 mm/day of pre-treated sugar factory effluent and another four received 110 mm/day.Haif the CWs were planted with Cyperus papyrus and haif with Echinochloa pyramidalis. Resuits showed a significant negative connection between tracer mass recovery and wetiand water leaioges. Aiso, a significant negative reiationship between active wetiand water volume and macrophyte density was detected. Further, a significant effect of HLR on mass removal rates of NH/-N was observed. However, no significant effect of either HLR or macrophyte species on wetland hydraulic parameters was found.

Keywords | constructed wetiand, Cyperus papyrus. Echinochloa pyramidalis, hydrauiic ioading rate, hydraulic tracer study, vegetation