FACTA UNIVERSITATIS

Series: Architecture and Civil Engineering Vol. 7, No 1, 2009, pp. 65 - 82

DOI: 10.2298/FUACE0901065N

WETLANDS, CONTRUCTED WETLANDS AND THEIR'S ROLE

IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT WITH PRINCIPLES AND
EXAMPLES OF USING IT IN SERBIA
UDC 628.315+828.35(497.11)(045)
Vladimir Nikoli1, Dragan Milievi2, Slobodan Milenkovi2
1

Erasmus Mundus Stipendist, Euroaquae E-mail: vlada_urs@yahoo.com

University of Nis, The Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Serbia

Abstract. Wetlands protection programs, as a relative new approach in surface water and
ground-water protection The types of Wetlands, their's mechanism of removal nutrients and
other pollutants from water are shown in this work paper. Wetland restoration, the renewal
of natural and historical wetlands that have been lost or degraded, is a growing activity.
Constructed wetlands, as treatment systems that use natural processes, are very adequate
and highly efficient, low cost way in wastewater treatment for small communities, point
pollution sources, depending, of course on conditions and adequate land spaces near those
places. Some examples from Serbia of this way and approach are shown.
Key words: Waste water treatment, Wetlands, Constructed wetlands,
Macrobiological methods.

1. INTRODUCTION
Long regarded as Wastelands, Wetlands are now recognized as important features in the
Landscape that provide numerous beneficial services for people and for fish and wildlife.
Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests
and coral reefs. They provide great volumes of food that attract many animal species.
2. WHAT ARE WETLANDS?
Even though there are many different terms for description of the wetland systems, the
most widely accepted definition was developed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in the Ramsar Convention, in 1980.
According to this convention, wetlands were defined as "any areas of swamp, pond, peat,
or water, natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, stagnant or flowing water, includ-

Received September 15, 2009

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V. NIKOLI, D. MILIEVI, S. MILENKOVI

ing estuaries and marine water, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed 6 meters."
(Mitsch and Gosselink, 1993).
Wetlands, other than peat bogs, are highly productive systems and support high biodiversity. Like other ecosystems, wetlands also perform many ecological functions. The hydrological, biological and biogeochemical functions impart them various values (Sather
and Smith, 1984). Some of the values of these wetlands given by Vymazal et. al (1998)
and Denny (1997) are summarized below: water quality functions and water quality improvements, hydrological and hydraulic functions, climatic effects, biodiversity functions,
energy production, educational uses, recreational and reclamation uses.
All Wetlands freshwater or salt have one characteristic in common: the presence
of surface or near surface water, at least periodically. The hydrology of Wetlands is
generally one of slow flows and either shallow or saturated substrates. The slow flows and
shallow water depths allow sediments to settle as the water passes through the Wetland.
The slow flow also provides prolonged contact time between the water and the surface
within the Wetland. The complex mass of organic and inorganic materials and the diverse
opportunities for gas/water interchanges foster a diverse community of microorganisms
that break down or transform a wide variety of substances.
Wetlands perform many functions that are beneficial to both humans and wildlife. One
of the most important is water filtration. As water flows through a Wetland, it slows down
and many of the suspended solids become trapped by vegetation and settled out. Other
pollutants are transformed to less soluble forms taken up by plants or become inactive.
Wetland plants also foster the necessary conditions for microorganisms to live there.
Through a series of complex processes, these microorganisms also transform and remove
pollutants from the water. Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are deposited into
wetlands from storm water runoff, from areas where fertilizers or manure have been applied and from leaking septic fields. These excess nutrients are often absorbed by Wetland soils and taken up by the plants and microorganisms. For example, Wetland microbes can convert organic nitrogen into useable, inorganic forms (NO3 and NH4) that are
necessary for plant growth and into the gasses that escape to the atmosphere.
Wetland processes:
water retains more days
sedimentation
its cleaned by plants
and microorganisms
reduction of nitrogen,
phosphorus substances,
heavy metals and other
toxic compounds and
bacteria
plants under the surface
of device provide
oxygen
an area rich with
oxygen is created
around the roots

cleaning
is effective
Fig. 1 How wetlands work

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67

Wetlands are one of the most valuable and fragile components of a watershed, but for
many years they were filled and drained for agriculture and development. Now we are
learning that wetlands are crucial to the health of our waters and wildlife. Wetland restoration, the renewal of natural and historical wetlands that have been lost or degraded, is a
growing activity. It can improve water quality and wildlife habitat across the world. When
high concentration of nutrients enter water as a result of human activities, often occurs
Hypoxia. Hypoxia is the condition in which dissolved oxygen is below the level necessary
to sustain most animal life. For many members of aquatic community, hypoxia is like
drowning, because life giving dissolved oxygen levels in a body of water drop much
lower than normal.
There is growing interest and expertise in the field of Wetland restoration. This trend
is a good news for hypoxia affected waters since some Wetlands can significantly reduce
the amount of nutrients reaching our inland and coastal waters. Restoring the lost and degraded Wetlands to their natural state is essential to ensure the health of watersheds.
Restoration is a complex process that requires expertise, resources, and commitment from
many different stakeholders. All restoration projects require planning, implementation,
monitoring and management. Many projects require a team with expertise in ecology, hydrology, engineering, and environmental planning. Getting local experts and community
involved gives the project local ownership, which is important for restoration success.
Nutrient removals from several specific natural wetlands projects are presented in
Table 1.
Table 1. Nutrient removals from several specific natural wetlands projects

4. CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT

As a result of the exponentially increasing demands of human expansion and resource
exploitation, it has been recognized that natural wetland ecosystems cannot always function efficiently for desired objectives and stringent water quality standards. These and
many other factors have led to the rapid development of "constructed wetlands" for
wastewater treatment (Wetzel, 1993).
Because natural systems can improve water quality and filter pollutants from water
that flows through on its way to receiving lakes, streams and oceans, engineers and scien-

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V. NIKOLI, D. MILIEVI, S. MILENKOVI

tists construct system that replicate the functions of natural wetlands. So, Constructed
wetland treatment systems are engineered systems that have been designed and constructed to utilize the natural processes involving wetland vegetation, soils, and their associated microbial assemblages to assist in treating wastewater. They are designed to take
advantage of many of the processes that occur in natural wetlands, but do so within a
more controlled environment. Synonymous terms to constructed include manmade, engineered or artificial wetlands.
What Constructed Wetlands can provide:
water quality improvement
flood storage and the desynchronization of storm
rainfall and surface runoff
cycling of nutrients and other materials
habitat for fish and wildlife
passive recreation, such as bird watching and photography
active recreation, such as hunting
education and research
aesthetics and landscape enhancement
When properly designed, constructed wetlands offer a number of advantages, including low cost, simplicity of operation, and effective removal of BOD5 and TSS (table 2).
When sized adequately, constructed wetlands are also tolerant of fluctuating flows and
variable water quality.
Constructed wetland treatment is constrained by a number of limitations, including
relatively large land requirements and a degree of uncertainty not found in more conventional approaches (table. 2).
Table 2. Advantages and limitations of constructed wetland treatment of domestic wastewater
Advantages

Limitations

Excellent removal of BOD5 and TSS

Good removal of nutrients, depending on
system design
Ability to handle daily or seasonally
variable loads
Low energy and maintenance
requirements
Simplicity of operation

Variable treatment efficiencies due to the

effects of season and weather
Uncertainty as to treatment effectiveness
under all conditions
Sensitivity to high ammonia levels
Larger land area requirement than for
conventional treatment
Potential for mosquito production

The use of constructed wetlands for sewage treatment at different levels is commonly
well known. However, they have also been applied for the treatment purpose of different
types of wastewater. Some of these applications include treatment of wastewater originating from several industries, agricultural activities, landfills, surface runoff, acid mine
drainage, sludge dewatering, etc. In order to understand the current trend for constructed
wetlands, the current literature has been reviewed and classified according to the type of
treated wastewater (Table 3).

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69

Table 3. Distribution and percentage of the studies on constructed wetlands

used for several purposes (1994-2000)
Type of Treated Wastewater in Constructed Wetlands

Number
of Studies

Percentage
(%)

106
12
8
24
5
35
42
38
64

31.5
3.6
2.4
8.1
1.5
10.5
12.5
11.3
19.1

Municipal
Leachate
Acid Mine Drainage
Surface Runoff
Sludge Dewatering
Industrial
Restoration and Rehabilitation, Prevention of Eutrophication
Agro-Industrial
Reviews, Suggestions, Design Criteria

References: Water Science and Technology, Vol: 35(5) 1997 and Vol: 40(3) 1999;
Proceedings of 7th International Conference on Wetland Systems for Water Pollution Control, Florida, 2000.

5. CLASSIFICATION OF CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS

Constructed wetlands could be classified according to the various parameters but two
most important criteria are water flow regime (surface and sub-surface) and the type of
macrophytic growth (Fig. 2). Different hybrid or combined systems in order to exploit the
specific advantages of the different systems.
Constructed
wetlands

Emergent plants

Surface flow

Sub-surface flow

Submerged plants

Horizontal

Vertical

Downflow

Free floating plants

Upflow
Floating-leaved plants

Hybrid systems

Tidal

Fig. 2 Basic types of Constructed Wetlands

Constructed wetlands with surface flow (= free water surface, FWS) consist of basins
or channels, with soil or another suitable medium to support the rooted vegetation (if present) and water at a low flow velocity, and presence of the plant stalks and litter regulate
water flow and, especially in long, narrow channels, ensure plug-flow conditions (Reed et
al., 1988). One of their primary design purposes is to contact wastewater with reactive
biological surfaces (Kadlec and Knight, 1996). The FWS CWs can be classified according to the type of macrophytes (Fig. 2).

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Fig. 3 A surface flow wetland consists of a shallow basin, soil or other meddium to
support the roots of vegetation, and a water control structure that maintains a
shallow depth of water.
A subsurface flow (= subsurface flow system, SFS) constructed wetland consists of a
sealed basin with a porous substrate of rock or gravel. The water level is designed to remain below the top of the substrate. Constructed wetlands with sub-surface flow may be
classified according to the direction of flow into horizontal (HF or SSF-H) and vertical
(VF or SSF-V) (Fig. 2).

Fig. 4 Constructed Wetlands with rooted vegetation and horizontal (left) or vertical
flow of the water (right)
Various types of constructed wetlands may be combined in order to achieve higher
treatment effect, especially for nitrogen. There has been a growing demand in achieving
fully-nitrified effluents but secondary treatment HF systems cannot do this because of their
limited oxygen transfer capacity (Cooper et al., 1996; Vymazal et al., 1998a). VF systems
have a much greater oxygen transport capacity and, therefore, provide much better conditions for nitrification.

HORIZONTAL
FLOW

VERTICAL
FLOW
OUTFLOW

RECYCLE FOR DENITRIFICATION

(IF NEEDED)

INFLOW

Fig. 5 Schematic arrangement of the HF-VF hybrid system

according to Brix and Johansen

Hybrid systems used to comprise most frequently VF and HF systems arranged in a

staged manner, however, all types of constructed wetlands could be combined. In hybrid
systems, the advantages of various systems can be combined to complement each other. It
is possible to produce an effluent low in BOD, which is fully-nitrified and partly denitrified and hence has much lower total-N concentrations (Cooper 1999, 2001).

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71

6. CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS DESIGNING

Constructed wetlands are ecological systems that combine physical, chemical, and
biological processes in an engineered and managed system. Successful construction and
operation of an ecological system for wastewater treatment requires a basic knowledge
and understanding of the components and the interrelationships that compose the system.
A Constructed Wetland consists of a properly designed basin that contains water, a substrate, and, most commonly, vascular plants. Other important components of Wetlands,
such as the communities of microbes and aquatic invertebrates, develop naturally.
Suggestions for creating an effective constructed wetland are given in table 4. Since
the objective of using a constructed wetland is to simplify the handling of wastewater, the
system should be made as easy to operate as possible while ensuring reliable treatment.
Building a slightly larger system may be more expensive to construct but may be more
reliable and less costly to operate than a smaller system. Attention to several factors will
help to ensure successful wetland treatment:
Adequate pre-treatment. Pollutant loads in raw wastewater can exceed the ability of
a wetland to treat or assimilate them. Wetland treatment is suitable for waters that
have received primary or secondary treatment.
Adequate retention time. A wetland treats wastewater through a number of biological (largely microbial), physical, and chemical processes. The water must remain in
the wetland long enough for biological and chemical transformations to take place
and for sedimentation and deposition to occur. The wetland must be built large
enough to provide the necessary retention time.
Supplemental water. If a constructed wetland is to remain healthy, it must remain
relatively wet. Wetland plants are generally tolerant of fluctuating flows, but they
cannot withstand complete drying. For this reason, either a fairly regular supply of
wastewater must be assured or a supplemental source of water must be provided.
Proper management. Constructed wetlands are "high management, low maintenance" systems. They must be actively managed if they are to perform well. "Management"
means watching the wetland for signs of stress or disease and adjusting water levels or
wastewater input streams accordingly. While wetlands are low maintenance systems,
they are not maintenance free. For instance, distribution systems must be cleaned periodically to avoid plugging and uneven distribution of flow, and valves and piping
must be checked to detect and correct blockages or leaks.
The land area and engineering required to establish the correct constructed wetland
arrangement is largely related to the degree of treatment required from the system in relation to the social and aesthetic objectives and topography of the site available. Table 5 illustrates process design criteria for Free Water Surface (FWS) and Subsurface flow (SFS)
constructed wetlands adapted from Reed (1992) and Knight (1992).

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Table 4. Guidelines for creating constructed wetlands.

Know what you are dealing with: Sample the wastewater
Know what pre-treatment will accomplish
Wetlands must have water:
Know the water budget
Size the wetland generously:
Give the plants a chance:
Don't overload the wetland:
Protect the wetland from toxics:
Keep an eye on what is
happening:
Get interdisciplinary help:

An undersized wetland cannot perform well

Allow time for establishment
Avoid shock loadings
Application rates must not exceed treatment rates
Limit the toxics entering the wetland
Keep herbicides out of the wetland
Monitoring is needed to assure continued
performance
Environmental engineer
Water quality specialist
Plant materials specialist or biologist
State agencies

Table 5. Process design criteria for constructed wetlands

Factor
Detention time, d
Max BOD loading rate, kg/ha.d
Water or Substrate Depth, m
Hydraulic loading rate, mm/d
Areal Requirement, ha/m3.d
Aspect Ratio l to w
Mosquito Control
Harvest Frequency, yr

Typical FWS
5-14
80
0.1-0.5
7-60
0.002-0.014
2:1 to 10:1
Required
3-5

Typical SFS
2-7
75
0.10-1.0
2-30
0.001-0.007
0.25:1 to 5:1
Not required
3-5

The constructed wetland system itself is increasingly unlikely to be a single unit but rather
an integration of units, which may include reedbeds, marshes, ponds, grasslands and even forest/shrub areas. The units may also operate as surface or subsurface filtration systems as appropriate to optimize physico-chemical pollutant removal mechanisms and to balance aerobic and
anaerobic biological degradation reactions: evapotranspiration and infiltration.
The type of the plants depends of the type of the wastewater (domestic sewage, agricultural
wastewater, storm runoff...) geoposition and climatic conditions of a place where wetland is.
Vegetation selection needs to accommodate the hydraulic operations of the Wetland
system and still support habitat objectives. In general, use a diversity native, locally obtained
species. Native plants from existing Wetlands may be harvested provided that removal of the
plants does not result in damage to the existing Wetland. Species should be chosen both for
water quality and wildlife habitat functions, if that is intent of the project. The use of weedy,
invasive, or non-native species should be avoided. Also we should consider the plants abilities to adapt to various water depths and soil and light conditions at our site.
Seeds, seedlings, entire plants, or parts of plants can be used to establish wetland
vegetation. While many wetland plants produce wind-borne seeds, vegetative spread by

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73

stolons and runners is common since seeds generally will not sprout under water. Many
emergents have rhizomes, rootstock, or tubers, which, although they are primarily food
storage organs, can generate new plants.
The plants for treatment wetlands must be able to tolerate the combination of continuous
flooding and exposure to wastewater or storm water containing relatively high and often variable concentrations of pollutants. For wastewater treatment wetlands, the particular species selected are less important than establishing a dense stand of vegetation. Any species that will
grow well can be chosen. For storm water wetlands, species should be chosen to mimic the
communities of emergent plants of nearby natural wetlands. For both wastewater and storm
water wetlands, native, local species should be used because they are adapted to the local climate, soils, and surrounding plant and animal communities, and are likely to do well.
The plants that are most often used in constructed wetlands are persistent emergent
plants, such as bulrashes (Sciprus), spikerush (Efeocharis), other sedges (Cyperus),
rushes (Juncun), common reed (Phragrnites) and cattails (Typha).

Fig. 6 An example of plants recommendation for diferent types of wetlands

Table 6. Efficiency of the conducted treatment comparing various unitary operations used
in the primary and secondary treatment processes (Metcalf, Eddy, 1999).
Purification process
Primary sedimentation tank
Activated sludge process
Biofilter, highly efficient rock medium
Biofilter, efficient plastic medium
Biodisk
Constructed Wetlands

BOD
30-40
80-95
65-80
65-85
80-85
80-90

Purification efficiency (%)

KPK
SS
P
Org-N NH3-H
30-40 50-65 10-20 10-20
0
80-85 80-90 10-25 15-50 8-15
60-80 60-85 8-12 15-50 8-15
65-85 65-85 8-12 15-50 8-15
80-85 80-85 10-25 15-50 8-15
80-85 70-85 70-90 70-90 70-90

In terms of reduction of organic pollution a significant independence is noticeable

between effluents organic output concentration and entering concentration in waste water. The quality of the final effluent from the systems improves with the complexity of the
facility. Table 6 compares effects of waste water treatment in the classic WWT process
and Constructed Wetlands, while Table 7 shows effects of treatments of typical polluters
in several projects performed in USA.

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V. NIKOLI, D. MILIEVI, S. MILENKOVI

Table 7. The removal efficiency of typical pollutants

7. CONFIGURATION OPTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS

Various configurations are possible for the constructed wetland and for incorporating it
into a treatment system (figures 7 and 8). System configuration includes length-to-width ratio
(sometimes called "aspect"), compartmentalization, and the location of single or multiple
discharge points. The configuration should take advantage of the natural topography of the
site to minimize excavation and grading costs. While wetlands are often designed as rectangles, wetlands can be built in almost any shape to fit the topography of the site.
An example of synthesizing the macrobiological unit operations into the complex
ones, which are cheaper in terms of investment and power consumption, at smaller agglomerations, especially with the seasonal summer problems, is presented in the figure 8.
Stabilization
Pond

Constructed
Wetland

Septic
Tanks

Comminuter

Constructed
Wetland

Imhoff
Tank

Constructed
Wetland

Sludge Drying
Bed

Fig. 7 Configuration options for constructed wetlands (from Steiner and Freeman 1989).

Wetlands, Contructed Wetlands and their's Role in Wastewater Treatment...

75

The scheme includes the water treatment and sludge settlement, so that they can be
discharged into the environment without negative effects, that is, an environmentally
clean and friendly technology is presented. Depending on the ability and care of the operator, the removal of suspended and putrescible matter is from 80% up to more than 95%
and higher. Bacteria reduction is over 99%, so that without any risk, water can be used for
irrigation in the semi-arid regions [Ignjatovi L., 1995].

Fig. 8 Scheme of the human settlement waste water treatment facility [Ignjatovi L., 1995]
UG inlet structure ; ET efficient settlement tank HB - basin for sanitary
hydrophytocultures (surface flow wetland); AB - basin for sanitary aquacultures;
DM sludge digestor ; VP vermiculture fields

7. CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS AND ENVIRONMENT

Constructed Wetlands are easily implemented in neighbouring environment. Once
constructed, wetlands enhance flora and fauna, increase plants diversity, and present favourable habitats for birds. Moreover, wetlands have negligible effects on air quality
since polluted water circulates underground, preventing odours appearance.
Constructed wetlands need to be arranged to meet hydrological and wastewater quality
requirements, but also to integrate effectively into the surrounding existing landscape. The
arrangement of wetland, basin and high flow bypass should be designed early in the concept design phase, to ensure that amenity of open space is enhanced.

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V. NIKOLI, D. MILIEVI, S. MILENKOVI

Fig. 9 Typical Landscape Treatments to Constructed Wetlands in Open Space Areas

The final shape of a wetland should provide landscape opportunities to create alternate useable spaces/recreation areas. Often different shapes to wetland edges can make
pathway connections through and around these recreation areas more convenient and enhances the community perception of constructed wetlands. Pathways and bridges across
planted earth bunds can be the best way of getting across or around wetlands. The materials on the bridge and pathways are important to be low maintenance and do not impede
hydrological flows. Ease of access to the inlet basin for sediment and trash removal is also
important to consider.

Fig. 10. Example Relationship Between High Flow Bypass, Wetland

and Basin and the Creation of Open Space

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8. EXAMPLES OF CONSTRUCTED WETLAND

An example of a Constructed Wetland designed for individual residential object waste
water purification process is presented in figure 11.

Fig. 11 Schematic view of Constructed Wetland: Single Use (Base and Longitudinal Section)

Fig. 12 Layout of Proposed Wetland System

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V. NIKOLI, D. MILIEVI, S. MILENKOVI

As part of a residential development in Pimpama on the Gold Coast, storm water runoff is to be delivered to a constructed wetland for water quality treatment. An illustration
of the site and proposed layout of the wetland is shown in Figure 12. This example describes the design process for each component of the constructed wetland: inlet zone (including the bypass weir), macrophyte zone, macrophyte zone outlet and high flow bypass
channel.
9. CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS IN SERBI
Intensive research in the macrobiological methods began in the 80s in the world, and
almost simultaneously at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture of Nis, leeding
by. Proff. L. Ignjatovi. The initial results were obtained in the 1975-1979 period and in
the course of 80s. Numerous macrobiological unit operations (floating macrophytea,
constructed wetlands...) in cooperation with the eminent experts from the USA, were
tested as laboratory models and then translated to the level of macro mode. They were
tested in the part of the waste water treatment facilities in Sokobanja (20.000 hab. by
summer) spa town and municipality situated in eastern Serbia, near Nis, 1980.
In a first phase after the "classical" treatment plant with a classic line (inlet grid, sedimentation, oxidation basins) Surface flow Wetlands is used like experimental part, with a
plants: Eichornia Crassipes and Pistia Stratiotes macrophytaes. Sanitary fish pond was included as finishing part of Wastewater Treatment Plant end after it, Surface flow Wetlands. The sludge was used as good habitat for earthworms (L. Rubellus) cultivating.
Methane produced in digesters was planned for heating laboratory.

Fig. 13 Waste water treatment facilities in Sokobanja (Base, experimental plant with
Eichornia Crassipes and Pistia Stratiotes macrophytaes, Sanitary fish pond), 1980.

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79

Fig. 14. Basin for floating macrophytes with water lettuce (Pistia Stratiotes L.) and water
hyacinth (Eichornia Crassipes M.)

Fig. 15 Map of the basin - sanitary fish-pond in Sokobanja [Ignjatovi L., 1995] and the
appearance of the basin.

Wastewater treatment plant Sokobanja is designed and constructed in order to that all
natural sources and processes are used in function to cleaning wastewater, domestic and low
concentrated industrial. The best data of efficiency of such WWT is that in case of inlet concentration of DO of 0 (zero) mg/l, on the outlet concentration of DO was 8-9 mg/l.
In second phase Subsurface flow Wetlands (horizontal flow) second line of Wastewater Treatment Plant, worked as a probe, with native plants, from this area (Rogoz, Serb Thypa latifolia Lat., Trska, Serb. - Phragmites communalis Trin, Lat.) and was designed
1990. The wastewater comes, after high efficiancy, settlement tank, into Constructed
Wetland. Now is in reconstruction.

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V. NIKOLI, D. MILIEVI, S. MILENKOVI

Fig. 16 Constructed Wetland Technology Shemma

(Designed by prof. L. Ignjatovi, Constructed, and Tested), 1990.
Constructed Wetland in Serbia, are also used about 2004 year in village Glozane, designed by "Biro Neptun" Company, and at the present this technology is having considerable role in Wastewater treatment in Serbia, now mostly in Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.
Village Glozane involves Constructed Wetland of hybrid structure, containing three
fields designed for 2.275 HE. Total foreseen system area is approximated on 8.271 m2, or
2,95 m2/ES. Currently only some elements of the system have been constructed and exploited. Effects of purification process are presented in table 8 and 9.

Fig. 17. Constructed Wetland Glozan Serbia

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81

Table 8. Effects (diff. conc. influent/effluent) of such pant given by Biro Neptun
Parametar
BOD5
TSS
P
Amoniumion
Chlorides

Wet Field I
70.1
91.3
21.2
26.3
32.9

Wet Field II
28.7
2.6
36.1
37.7
16.6

Wet Field III

0.26
2.20
40.20
35.80
33.60

Tot. Reduction
99.1
91.7
97.5
99.8
83.1

Table 9. Quality of treated water

Parametar
Dissolved oxygen (mg/l)
BOD5 (mg/l)
Suspended Solids (mg/l)
Dry residuals (mg/l)

II class of water quality

6-8
2-4
10-30
350-1000

Effluent
7.6
3.8
19
942

10. CONCLUSION
Last 30 years wetlands are recognized as important features a watershed because they
serve as the link between land and water resources. Wetlands protection programs are
most effective when coordinated with other surface and ground-water protection programs
and with other resource management programs, such as flood control, water supply, protection of fish and wildlife, recreation, control of storm water, and nonpoint source pollution. Wetland restoration, the renewal of natural and historical wetlands that have been
lost or degraded, is a growing activity. It can improve water quality and wildlife habitat
across the world. Constructed wetlands are treatment systems that use natural processes
and are very adequate and high-efficient, low cost way in wastewater treatment for small
communities, point pollution sources, depending, of course on conditions and adequate
land spaces near those places. That's way that approach of improving water quality is in
trend to be more and more used.
REFERENCES
1. Free Water Surface Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: A Technology assessment.pdf EPA document
2. Constructed Wetlands Treatment of Municipal Wastewaters, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Manual EPA/625/R-99/010, September 2000., http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL
3. Vymazal J., Krpfelov L.: Wastewater Treatment in Constructed Wetlands with Horizontal Sub-Surface
Flow, Environmental pollution, Volume 14, Springer Science + Business Media B.V., 2008.
4. Wood A.: Constructed Wetlands in Water Pollution Control: Fundamentals to Their Understanding, Wat.
Sci. Tech, Vol. 32., No. 3., pp. 21-29, 1995.
5. Our Living City - Gold Coast Planning Scheme Policies, Policy 11: Land Development Guidelines, Section 13 - Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Guidelines, June 2007.
6. Korkusuz E. A.: Domestic Wastewater Treatment in Pilot-Scale Constructed Wetlands Implemented in
The Middle East Technical Univiersity, PhD Thesis, The Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences of The Middle East Technical University, September 2004.
7. L. Ignjatovi: Makrobioloke metode u preradi otpadnih voda, Vodi kroz jedinine operacije, Eco Tech, Beograd, Serbia,1995.

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BIOLOKE ZAVESE, VETAKE BIOLOKE ZAVESE I

NJIHOVA ULOGA U PREIAVANJU OTPADNIH VODA,
PRINCIPI I PRIMERI PRIMENE U SRBIJI
Vladimir Nikoli, Dragan Milievi, Slobodan Milenkovi
Program zatite biolokih zavesa, kao relativno novi pristup zatiti povrinskih i podzemnih voda,
vrste biolokih zavesa i mehanizam ukljanjanja nutrijenata i drugih zagadjujuih materija su
prikazani u ovom radu. Obnavaljanje prirodnih, ve degradiranih biolokih zavesa, u naporu za
poboljanje kvaliteta povrinskih voda je danas sve znaajnija aktivnost u svetu. Vetake bioloke
zavese, kao sistemi za preiavanje otpadnih voda koji koriste prirodne procese, vrlo su primerene i
visoko efikasne, sa niskom cenom preiavanja otpadnih voda malih naselja kao koncentrisanih
zagaivaa, to sve, naravno, zavisi od uslova i raspoloivog prostora za izgradnju. Dato je nekoliko
primera ovakvog pristupa preiavanju voda u Srbiji.
Kljune rei: preiavanje otpadnih voda, bioloke zavese, makrobioloke metode