Economic feasibility for wastewater treatment system composed of wetlands for the wastewater reuse: a case study

Abstract

Water is an asset that is becoming scarce and its reuse is an alternative to preserve it. Social and environmental feasibility motivate the adoption of reuse, but the financial factor can be limited to its use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic and financial feasibility for the investment in a domestic wastewater treatment system in which the constructed wetlands could be used aiming at the reuse for irrigation. Instruments such as the minimum attractiveness rate, discounted payback, the internal rate of return and the profitability index were used. The treatment system composed of an equalization tank, a septic tank, horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland, subsurface flow constructed wetland, and a maturation pond comprising 52 m², demonstrating that it is able to meet the criteria required for reuse. The organic load affluent to the system was projected to 220 mg L-1 at a flow rate of 600 L day-1 of sewage, obtaining removal efficiency above 98% for all parameters, except nitrogen and phosphorus. In the analysis of economic and financial feasibility, it was found that the internal rate of return found for the cash flow considered was 98% and the profitability index according to the present value was 3.28. It was found that the total employed would be recovered in up to two years. With the use of the system, 180 m³ of water would be saved annually, reducing the pressure on the public supply system, in addition to the sewage treatment and the scenic beauty provided by wetlands. Therefore, the system is not limited only to economic gains, but also to social and environmental gains.