Bicol University

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Legazpi City
Second Semester
SY 2020-2021

NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM (NSTP)

CWTS/LTS

WEBINAR On Environmental Management

● INSTRUCTIONS:

STUDENT ACTIVITY

Student Name: Abby Gayle Gervacio

Block/Section: BSEE 1-C
Date: November 10, 2021

Part 1.

a. Title/Topic
Natural Treatment Systems: Constructed Wetlands

b. Name of the Speaker

F.C. Ballesteros, Jr., Ph.D.
c. Things you have learnt from the webinar

1. Water Reuse
There are advantages and benefits to reusing water. It may be used for irrigation in
agriculture, parks, medians, schools, and golf courses, among other things. We know that in
order to keep golf courses in good shape, the area must be heavily watered.
Wetlands can simulate secondary wastewater treatment and backwash water from WW
Treatment plants, as well as stormwater runoff, because we can mitigate or lessen the
negative effects of flailing with the designed wetlands. It also supplies migrating birds with
Riparian Habitat.

2. Phytoremediation
Phytoremediation, which includes the use of plants to breakdown a range of pollutants such as
heavy metals, trace metals, novel transgenics, and other pollutants, is used in a recreated
wetlands' treatment system.

3. Xenobiotic Organic compound

Because it is man-made or because of its unique occurrence, the artificial wetland may also
cure organic substances that are not naturally occurring. Because xenobiotic organic
compounds are foreign to the biosphere, biodegradation is difficult, because microorganisms
lack the capacity to treat or absorb these contaminants if they do not occur often in nature.
4. Importance of Natural Wetlands (Reed & Bastian, 1985)
Natural wetlands are home to a huge and diversified population of bacteria that live on the
submerged roots and stems of aquatic plants and are crucial in the removal of BOD5 from
wastewater. The sedimentation of wastewater particles is aided by the calm water conditions
of a wetland.

5. Design of constructed wetlands

● A. FWSs (free water surface systems) feature open water surfaces with exposed water.
covering the surface of the substrate Plants that are submerged and emerging
● B. Subsurface flow systems (SFS): Water lies below the surface level in subsurface flow
systems, and the substrate is exposed to air at the surface. Only emergent plants are
allowed.

6. Reasons for constructed wetlands

● Waste Treatment
- Acid mine drainage: Absorb heavy metals and increase the pH
- Highway Runoffs: Effective for cleaning the water that runs off roads carrying oil, gas,
dirt, etc.
-Specific Pollutants: Wetlands out in to treat or absorb a heavy metal or organic.
-Storm Water: Handle storm waters in developed areas where runoff is a problem.
● Hydraulic modification - for food c control, water storage
-Flood control
-Water Storage
Groundwater recharge
● Water quality changes
-Reduce sediment loading
-Raise or lower extremes of pH
-Add or remove organics
● Erosion protection
-Bank or shoreline stabilization
-Dissipation of wave energy
-Dissipation of flood flows
-Alter flow patterns or stream or river
● Open spaces and aesthetics
-Used by resorts or new developments to increase land value
-Adds nature values
-Property owners will pay extra for sounds, smells, and sights of wildlife and wetland
plants
● Mitigation
-Intended to replace the function of lost wetlands
-In US, when developers destroy wetlands they must replace them by a 1 to 2 or 1 to 3
ratio.
-The developer is not only responsible for replacement, but the function as well.
● Habitat for wildlife
-Habitat specifically for threatened and endangered species
-Habitat for other wildlife

7. Surface Flow Type of Wetland

 ● Natural processes begin to break down and eliminate waste items in the water as soon
as wastewater enters a surface of flow wetland cell. Small suspended waste elements
are physically squeezed out of the wastewater before it travels very far in the wetland
by submerged plants, plant stems, and plant litter. Wetland plants' roots, branches,
leaves, and litter provide a plethora of tiny surfaces on which wastes might become
lodged and waste-consuming bacteria can adhere.

PART 2.

a. Make a list of at least 5 takeaways from the webinar.

● Dry weather runoff may be treated using the Natural Treatment System, which is a cost-
effective and ecologically friendly solution.

● Wastewater reuse has been considered as an alternative way of overcoming water scarcity
in many parts of the world

● Demand for freshwater is expected to rise as resources fall in many parts of the United
States, owing in part to a changing climate.

● The application of these concepts to waste treatment not only helps to clean up the
environment, but it also helps to preserve biological populations.

● While natural treatment systems may handle a wide range of media, including industrial
wastewater and polluted soils, this research focuses on their usage to treat household
wastewater, either in conjunction with or in place of a traditional municipal wastewater
treatment system.