This document discusses wastewater treatment using reed bed systems. Reed bed systems are a type of constructed wetland that uses natural processes to treat wastewater. They employ anaerobic, facultative, and aerobic bacteria that work together in a natural environment to break down waste. Reed bed systems are simple to operate, require little energy, and have low maintenance costs compared to conventional wastewater treatment technologies. They can be customized for different sites and wastewater types. The document provides examples of how reed bed systems work and are applied.

1. Waste Water Treatment Using Plants
(Reed Bed System)
Sustainable Water Solutions
for a
Better Tomorrow
By
L.V.Keshav Dr Ajit S Gokhale
Ecoserve Natural

2. OUR ISION
To help Mother Nature Heal Herself

3. OUR MISSION
To help ecofriendly initiatives
and
To spread environmental literacy

4. We Help …
Individuals
Urban and Rural
NGOs Institutions
Corporates Housing Societies
Builders and
Developers
Architects

5. Appropriate application of
wastewater Treatment Technology
&
Site Specific Structures
are
key to our success

6. Wastewater Treament
 Wastewater = Good Water + impurities
Treatment of wastewater only means removal
of impurities from it ….. which is easier said
than done
It needs various technologies to do this

7. Wastewater treatment Technologies
 Aerobic  Anaerobic
In presence of O2 In absence of O2
Sensitive to toxics
Needs care to maintain O2 levels
Aeration needed Aeration not needed
Energy intensive
Easy To Operate
Less Stink Lengthy startup periods, needs other treatments
But spreads aerosols
 Activated Sludge  Septic tanks
 Trickling Filters  Biogas plants
 RB Discs etc etc etc  Anaerobic digesters
It stinks, the treated water can not be directly
Difficult to operate and maintain
reused. It needs further treatments
Need competent operators & equipments

8. Water in Urban Space …
Techniques of wastewater treatment
Conventional Reed Beds Membrane based
Variants of Types of Membrane
Activated Sludge Constructed Bio-Reactors
System Wetlands
Energy Intensive Simple O & M Heavy costs
Mechanized Easy to operate Sophisticated
High O & M Energy friendly Automation
Difficult to maintain
Medium foot print Large Foot print Small Foot Print

9. Example of Site Specific
Wastewater management
Types of Urban wastewater
Domestic Commercial
Grey Black
Bath Toilets
Kitchen

10. Water in Urban Space …
Quality of wastewater
Bath water Kitchen Toilets
Simple Not so simple Difficult
No stink Develops stink Stinks
Soap Water Food waste, oils, Human Waste
Detergents Soap, detergent Pathogens
BOD – 50 BOD – 100 BOD – 500
COD – 200 COD – 200 COD – 900
40 % 20 % 40 %

11. OUR Approach
 Customized to site conditions and
Operator confidence
 Combines Best of various types
Aerobic, anaerobic and physical
 Low maintenance Low expenditure
 Enhances Beauty of the location
 User friendly… AMC / O & M available

12. Reed Bed Systems
• Also known as bio-filters, constructed wetland systems
and Root zone systems
• Kind of Biotechnology…uses Natural Systems in
engineered form for treating wastewater
• Employs three types of Microbes …anaerobic,
facultative and aerobic bacteria working side by side in
natural environment. Anaerobes thrive where aerobes
can’t. Filling media and plants provide shelter to both
• Waste of one is food of other.

13. … Reed Bed Systems
Salient Features
• No complicated setups
• No electricity wastage for aeration
• No costly imported equipments
• No moving parts
• No need of highly trained manpower
For operations and maintenance

14. … Reed Bed Systems
• Operationally Simple Natural systems
• Power saving systems
• Easy to Operate and maintain
• Rejuvenates ecosystems
• Can be modeled into parks and jogging tracks
• De-centralized systems

15. … Reed Bed Systems
• Originated in modern times in Max Plank Institute,
Germany.
• Prof kickuth and others observed wastewater treatment
abilities of natural wetlands-1960
• Since then there has been continuous development of
the technology … use of acclimatized microbes and
other additives have improved the efficiency

16. … Reed Bed Systems
• Consist of a lined tank filled with coarse mixture of high
porosity
• Highly efficient sewage treating bacterial mixture and
supporting media.
• Specially selected, acclimatized flowering plants are used in
the system.
• Roots of plants in association with bacteria give an
effective sewage treatment.
• This system remains functional … Naturally

17. … Reed Bed Systems
Coarse media and bacteria Interacting with roots For landscaping

18. … Reed Bed Systems
Root hair
Aerobic zone
Facultative
zone
Anaerobic zone
Coarse media and bacteria Interacting with roots
Thus in a Reed Bed, all the types of microbes are properly maintained.
They work in synergistic manner to treat the wastewater

19. Bath
water
Usage
Automated Two
Reed Bed System Re- Chambered
Circulation Micron
& Aeration Filtration
System System
Advanced Compact
Reed Bed System Schematic Diagram

20. 3000 lit / day Bath Wastewater Reed Bed System
A large Bungalow in Khar

21. Wishing
All of you abundance of
Clean Air
Pure Water
Healthy Food
And
Healthy Body & Rich Soul