Workshop Constructed wetlands, 20 - 21 September 2011, Helsinki and Salo, Finland
Constructed wetlands in Poland Stefan Pietrzak1, Marek Krysztoforski2, Andrzej Szymański2
1
Institute of Technology and Life Sciences, Falenty, Hrabska Al 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland, e-mail:
[email protected]
2
The Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów Office in Radom, Chorzowska 16/18, 26-600 Radom
[email protected]
Introduction
Constructed wetlands are deliberately constructed objects simulating the functions of wetlands as biological filters for purifying flowing water.
In Poland, constructed wetlands are understood primarily as objects of the soil-plant as a sewage treatment plant. They are defined as: root treatment, reed bed filters, soil-plant filters, constructed wetlands, wetland systems.
In Poland, constructed wetlands are not being built in order to retain nutrients ran off from the fields, and in this way to reduce their charges migrating to the surface water (no data on this subject in the literature)
It is estimated that number of constructed wetlands in Poland is about 1 000 [Gajewska M., Obarska-Pempkowiak H. 2009].
Constructed wetlands are most often used in the secondary
treatment, although there are many solutions supporting their rational use in the third stage of purification (pollutant removal and waste breakdown). Wastewater entering the wetland deposits is pre-treated, usually in septic tanks, Imhoff sedimentation tanks or ponds.
Design of constructed wetland (Damurski et. Al, 2007) in: Kronenberg J., Bergier T., (ed.) 2010.
Source: Gajewska M., Obarska-Pempkowiak H. 2009. 20 Years of Experience of Hybrid Constructed Wetlands Exploitation in Poland. http://wbiis.tu.koszalin.pl/towarzystwo/2009/062.pdf Kronenberg J., Bergier T., (ed.) 2010. Challenges of Sustainable Development in Poland , Krakow: Sendzimir Foundation. http://www.scribd.com/doc/34668921/Sustainable-Development-Applications-1
Aquatic plants (hydrophytes) are used for planting on soil-plant bed, and in particular Common reed (Phragmites communis) and Common osier (salix viminalis). Furthermore, in our climate aquatic plants such as: Reedmace (Typha latifolia), bulrush (Schoenoplectus lacustris), Reed mannagrass (Glyceria aquatica), Sweet rush (Acorus calamus) work best [Helman M.]*.
Common osier (salix viminalis)
Common reed
Source: http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wierzba_wici owa
(Phragmites communis) Source: http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trzcina_pospolita
*Helman M. Zastosowanie systemów hydrofitowych do porządkowania gospodarki wodno-ściekowej w gminie. http://www.ecol-unicon.com/klik/KlikFiles/zalaczniki/attach_a8038c7.pdf
Constructed wetlands in Muszynka (Krynica-Zdrój community)
Constructed wetlands Roztocze (Gródek, Dunajec River community)
Source: Jucherski A., Walczewski A. Rozwiązywanie problemów ścieków w gospodarstwach rolniczych w zabudowie rozproszonej. http://www.iteptylicz.edu.pl/oczyszczalnie_IBMER.pps#303,22,Slajd 22
Conditions related to the construction of constructed wetlands
Constructed wetlands are built mainly by a property / farms owners in areas with scattered building (rural) where the construction of sewerage system for economic reasons is not justified.
Building a backyard or near farm individual sewage treatment plant with a capacity of 7.5 m3 per day, does not require a building permit but require notification to the competent authority - the office of the municipality, the county. In another case, when the plant capacity is greater than 7.5 m3 per day, the building permit is required.
The legal basis for the possibility to use a treatment plant with a capacity to produce 7.5 m3 is given by the Water Law provisions of the Act (OJ No. 115/01 pos. 1229) and Building Law (Journal of Laws U.80/03. 718).
Municipalities and counties may provide for grants for the construction of sewage treatment plants. The beneficiaries of the grants may be homeowners, housing communities, businesses, other legal persons.
source: Przydomowe oczyszczalnie.pl. http://www.przydomowe-oczyszczalnie.pl/dofinansowanie-oczyszczalni.html ]
As noted in Poland, constructed wetlands are not being built in order to retain nutrients flushed from fields, but it is worth while noting that:
Poland has an area of about 4.4 million ha of natural and dehydrated wetlands, which represents approximately 14.2% of the country area.
Among Polish wetlands, there are over 50 thousand peats (natural and dehydrated) of an area larger than 1 ha and a total area of about 1.3 million ha, which represents almost 30% of wetlands area and 4% of the country area.
Non-peat wetlands exist on an area of 3.1 million hectares (70% of the whole wetlands and approximately 10% of the whole country) among non-peat wetlands dominates sediments, found in the vast majority of river valleys.
Source: Rycharski M. Mokradła Polski. http://www.gis-mokradla.info/html/index.php?page=mokradla
in Poland there are hundreds of thousands of small reservoirs with an area
