Constructed Wetlands as Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment in the Hospitality Industry: A Review

Abstract

The hospitality industry is increasing its awareness of how the integration of nature-based solutions can decrease its environmental impact while maintaining or increasing the service level of the sector. Constructed wetlands (CWs) constitute a promising sustainable solution for proper in situ domestic wastewater treatment. This literature review elucidates the status of CWs implementation in the hospitality industry to help foster the exchange of experiences in the field and deliver examples of approaches in different contexts to support future applications of this technology. Most of the studies reported in the literature were conducted in Europe, but studies emanating from Asia and South America are also available. The design of CWs, the horizontal and vertical subsurface flow CWs (HSFCW, VSFCW), and hybrid systems have been reported. The average removal efficiencies of the systems ranged from 83 to 95% for biochemical oxygen demand, 74 to 94% for chemical oxygen demand, 78 to 96% for total suspended solids, 75 to 85% for ammonium, 44 to 85% for ammonia, 50 to 73% for nitrate, 57 to 88% for total Kjeldahl nitrogen, 51 to 58% total nitrogen, and 66 to 99% for total phosphorus. The majority of the systems were implemented as decentralized treatment solutions using HSFCWs, with the second most common design being the hybrid CW systems in order to reduce area requirements, increase treatment efficiency, and prevent clogging. Overall, CWs are a promising sustainable solution which may support access to adequate sanitation worldwide as well as safe wastewater recycling and reuse, leading to more sustainable tourist destinations.