Use Waste Water, the Water Framework Directive and NVZ’s to your
advantage
With environmental awareness and pressures on agriculture at an all time
high, turn the handling and disposal of your existing waste water run off
into an attractive landscape and environmental feature. Help meet
environmental discharge targets by natural means. Minimise groundwater
contamination. With simple planning, and minimal work and cost, the
following important issues and problem areas, all arising from normal
farming and rural operations, can be positively resolved by establishing a
natural ‘Working Wetland’.
Address the following critical areas:-
Diffuse pollution, the progressive seepage of fertiliser and
agricultural residues to drains, often over wide areas – water commonly
containing nitrates, phosphates and traces of chemicals.
Farm steading run off, after heavy rain and storms, high volumes
rush straight off roofs and concrete yards, down drains and ditches,
straight into water courses – water including traces of fuels, oils,
fertilisers, slurry, soil and silt.
Septic overflows and drainage wastes, contaminating drains,
watercourses and sometimes bathing waters - water containing faecal
organisms, traces of heavy metals, household detergents, cleaners and
food wastes.
Process waste and overflows, regularly produced, often initially
running briefly into settling tanks, but then down drains and into
watercourses - water containing dairy/livestock washings, chemicals,
pack-house washings, and sediments.
Deal with these naturally:-
by simply intercepting the outfalls and constructing a series of
attractively designed ponds and reedbeds, the flow will be slowed down
and enable settling of solids, establishing natural vegetation will
draw nutrients from the water. A controlled discharge of ‘clean’ water
to local watercourses will be created.
by natural oxygenation, breakdown and absorption of nitrates,
phosphates and metals, the water quality will be significantly improved.
Aggressive contaminants and liquids of high biological oxygen demand
(BOD) will be contained and treated, before eventually reaching the
watercourse in an acceptable condition.
And benefit from a natural, functional, working wetland working 24/7 to
produce a clean, ‘no worry’ outflow. Its size, shape and sympathetic design
will be engineered according to flow requirement and landscape features.
Planting a combination of reeds, marginal plants and wetland shrubs and
trees in and around the ponds, will greatly accelerate the water treatment.
This will form an environmentally sustainable, low maintenance, settling and
purification area. Exclusion from livestock and machinery will maintain a
natural haven for wildlife, and will allow an all year round habitat for
birds, small mammals and insects to develop.
Assess the volumes, flows and nature of any contaminants.
Intercept and harness drains and overflows.
Direct these to an appropriate final location.
Construct the series of settling and treatment ponds.
Allow adequate area to hold flash floods and allow sediments and
solids to settle.
Arrange progressive overflows, as required, to allow sequential
treatment and cleaning by grasses, reeds and wetland plants.
Allow overflows to move to further ponds for final cleaning.
Create a controlled level final outlet to local watercourse.
Exclude livestock and machinery.
Monitor the outflow.
Occasional dredging of sediment from first pond and replacement of
reeds.
A Working Wetland is a valuable addition to conservation and the
environment
On farm labour and machinery can often deal with the practical construction
and planting of Wetlands. Such work can be undertaken at quiet times of the
year, to fit in with labour profiles. Therefore costs are minimised.
Helpful Information
Reedbed area for cleaning of Domestic Waste water
Output per person = c 0.2 cu m/day – area required = c 2.5 sq
m.
Output per family of 4 = c 1 cu m/day – area required = c 10 sq
m.
4 Holiday Cottages (in continual use) may require c 50 sq m.
6 Caravans ( less water use, no baths or laundry etc) may
require c 50 sq m.
Treatment of 1 cu m. output per day requires c 10 sq m of
Reedbed.
Reedbed Area required for Commercial or Process wastes and
Agricultural surface run off.
This depends on the level of contamination and it’s form in the
water.
It may vary from solid effluents to nutrients, heavy metals or
other general contaminants, and these may be of varying biological
oxygen demand (BOD’s) and chemical oxygen demand (COD’s).
These may require larger areas according to their volumes and
their strengths. Consultation may be required.
Cheviot Trees Ltd. offer the full range of
reeds, marginal plants and
wetland shrubs, along with any
planting accessories required for
pond/reedbed creation. If you would like advice or assistance of any kind
please don't hesitate to give us a call.
