New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Water and sediment chemistry of a wetland treating municipal wastewater

CATHERINE CHAGUÉ-GOFF^*

Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences  Limited
P. O. Box 30 368
Lower Hutt, New Zealand

MICHAEL R. ROSEN⁺

Wairakei Research Centre
Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences  Limited
Private Bag 2000
Taupo, New Zealand
email: m.rosen@gns.cri.nz

MIRJAM ROSELEUR

Hogeschool Delft
Postbus 3190, 2601 DD Delft
The Netherlands

^*Present address: GeoEnvironmental Consultants, 36  Ferry Road, Days Bay, Eastbourne, New Zealand.

Abstract  The effects of wastewater discharge in an artificially confined wetland, Turangi land treatment facility, New Zealand, were investigated by measuring the changes in water and sediment chemistry in the land treatment facility. Analysis of surface water shows that the treatment facility is effective at removing BOD5 (85%), but not NH4-N, SO4, PO4-P, and total suspended solids. Surface flow measurements indicate that the effluent flows through the confined wetland in less than a day. The retention time is too short to allow exchange between wetland vegetation and effluent, thus preventing efficient contaminant removal. The change in land use c. 30 years ago associated with the construction of the land treatment facility is reflected in a change in stratigraphy and sediment chemistry. Elevated sulphur and zinc concentrations in sediments are attributed to sewage effluent discharge, and indicate that soil uptake is taking place.

Keywords  sewage treatment wetland; nutrients; contaminant removal; zinc; New Zealand

⁺Corresponding author.
M99001
Received 15 January 1999; accepted 25 May 1999

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1175K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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