Wetlands as Water Purifiers: Does Nature Do It Better?
Would you associate an aluminum
refinery with an innovative water pollution solution? An aluminum refinery
called Ma’aden in Saudi Arabia is taking a creative and cost-saving step to
purify polluted industrial water. Ma’aden is trusting wetlands—nature’s water
purifier.
HOW DO WETLANDS PURIFY WATER?
Vegetation in the man-made
wetlands stimulates the growth of microorganisms that remove impurities from
the wastewater more effectively than a conventional tank-based purifying
system. A tank-based purifying system requires workers to fiddle with controls
in order to correctly target pollutants in the water. The wetlands eliminate
the need to mess with controls. Wetlands naturally degrade dangerous
pollutants, requiring far less work.
Not only are the wetlands less
work once constructed, they are also far more cost-effective. Wetlands require
no maintenance, are pleasing to the eye, and consume zero electricity.
Ray Kilmer, who worked with the
Ma’aden team during the wetland project, explains: “The wetlands provide a
better mechanism for cleaning the water, helping the earth use its own
processes to heal itself, and don’t require sophisticated controls… it’s also less
cost, more effective, and more robust” (The Guardian).
Less cost, more effective, and
more robust, the wetlands also offer a stopping ground and refuge for migratory
birds, creating an ecosystem and oasis in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Wetlands increase biodiversity,
trap polluted sediment, and greatly reduce pollutant concentrations without
using the energy or fossil fuels required to operate a conventional water
purification system. The natural water-purification process that occurs in
wetlands is known as biofiltration. Biofiltration is defined as pollution control that uses living
material to capture and degrade pollutants.
Biofiltration happens as surface
water flows through vegetation. Pollutants are removed as plants uptake and
process water, as sediment settles into the gravel and soil, and as
microorganisms consume pollutants.
The types of plants used in a
biofiltration system depend on the targeted pollutants. Floating plants derive
carbon dioxide and oxygen from the atmosphere, and remove minerals from the
water. Submerged plants remove carbon dioxide, oxygen, and minerals from the
water, but require relatively clear water because they need sunlight to photosynthesize.
Phytoremediation refers
specifically to the use of living green plants to degrade contaminants. The
degradation of pollutants occurs in different parts of the plant, or in
different types of plants, depending on the type of pollutant.
The table below exhibits how
different pollutants are targeted by plant part and plant type:
WHY AREN’T BIOFILTRATION SYSTEMS MORE POPULAR?
The use of biofiltration to clean
large amounts of wastewater is a relatively new idea and has not yet taken
popular hold. There is little awareness of the biofiltration alternative to
traditional tank-based water purification. As awareness spreads, so does
willingness to change.
HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE USE OF BIOFILTRATION?
If we want to see biofiltration
replace conventional techniques, we can share the concept. If people are not aware
of biofiltration, how can we expect the concept to become popular? When we
share the concept, whether it is over coffee with a friend or from the podium at a
City Council meeting, knowledge spreads.
You can:
Share biofiltration with representatives
in your town, city, state, and country. Push for legistlation and projects that
support biofiltration and phytoremediation. Do whatever you feel comfortable
with, even if it is speaking with your family at the dinner table—all action
makes a difference.
In our communities, cultures, and
world, we can continue to discuss ideas and to take action to heal our water
sources and to remove pollution. We can share potential solutions and engage in
debate and conversation surrounding the world we want to build. Do we want more
efficient, clean, and healthy water filtration systems? Then it is time to
speak out. Do we want to heal the delicate environmental balance that provides
clean water for us to drink? Then it is time to take action.
Would you like to see
biofiltration replace conventional tank-based water purification? Do you think
biofiltration is a viable option? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave
a comment below.
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provide access to safe water. We hope “to break the cycle of poverty”, “to
protect and save lives”, and “to make a bright future possible for all”: Make A Difference Donation
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