waste water treatment in PakistanThe devastating 2010 floods in Pakistan affected large populations, depriving them of the basic human needs; and led to extremely poor sanitation and hygiene conditions. To solve these problems, Plan International, Pakistan with the financial backing of UNICEF launched a program, “Scaling up Rural Sanitation programme’’ in flood affected districts of Pakistan.
This case study is about a full scale constructed wetland system for wastewater treatment and reuse in Baba Jee Kali village. Baba Jee Kali is situated in Nowshera district in a flood affected area of KPK province. The village was selected to act as demonstration and pilot project for further replication in the KPK province.
The pilot project is developed for 110 houses with an estimated 35,000 US gallons of waste water produced per day. The pilot project consists of a bioremediation technology anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) cum waste water storage tank, sub-surface flow constructed wetland (SSF CW), free surface flow constructed wetlands including facultative and maturation ponds, water filter and phytoremediation units. Intended benefits of the project include:
• Reclaimed irrigation water
• Fish ponds for fish breeding and will also an indicator for treated water quality.
• Herbal and mushroom garden- value added product income
• Animal and fodder and poultry feed from phytoplants
• Compost from duck weeds and other water plants.
• Poultry farm for 50 birds, animal shed and biogas
• Herbal garden and horticultural crop unit
In comparison to other waste water treatment techniques, this technology is less expensive and appropriate for community waste water treatment. Design of constructed wetlands varies from area to area depending on the conditions thus there is no standard design that can be replicated by the other communities.