Artificial wetlands for wastewater treatment, water reuse and wildlife in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Queensland, Australia has a subtropical-tropical climate with dry winters and wet monsoonal summers. Arid climatic conditions prevail inland with hot dry days and cold nights. The climatic conditions are conducive to high plant growth rates and hence offer great potential for constructed wetlands for water pollution control. The water (a scarce resource during the dry season and in arid regions) can also be used to irrigate crops, playing fields, parks and gardens or golf courses. The water discharged from the wetlands is also of an acceptable quality to flow into estuarine and riverine environments. Many natural wetlands are only seasonally inundated and during the dry season wildlife has to seek alternative refuges. Artificial wetlands receiving sewage effluent provide permanent wildlife habitats and improve the landscape amenity. The Queensland government's Department of Primary Industries has initiated an Artificial Wetlands for Water Pollution Research Program. Under this scheme 10 experimental pilot artificial wetlands have been established and a further 6 university research projects are being conducted on various aspects of artificial wetlands including nutrient and heavy metal uptake and bioavailability in wetland plants, sediment biogeochemistry and mass balances. One gold mine rehabilitation project has an artificial wetland to treat mine leachate. This paper presents 3 case studies which include significant results with respect to wastewater polishing and re-use.