Join a visit to the wetlands in Kilmeaden, Dunhill and Annestown under the expert guidance of Rory Harrington on February 3rd. This is a joint venture by the Waterford branches of the Irish Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Earth. All those interested should assemble at the Sweep, Kilmeaden at 13.30 ready to depart at 13.45.

Wetlands are one of nature's ways of making water pure. Artificially-built or 'constructed' wetlands mimic nature by protecting groundwater from contamination.

What can we do to purify our liquid waste or effluent? Every home, school, factory and village could have a constructed wetland. What is so great about these wetlands?

They can process large amounts of liquid waste and can form an excellent habitat for wildlife. The payback time is very short and you can meet all those nasty European Union regulations. The water can then be released safely back into the local stream and not cause lots of horrid algal growth. It has already used the excess nutrients to grow healthy reedbeds. These provide a haven for all sorts of wildlife. They positively increase the biodiversity of the area. This is a welcome sustainable nutrient management system.

As the nations population continues to grow, development is pushed further into rural areas where septic systems must be used for wastewater treatment. In many areas the conventional septic tank systems have proven to be inadequate for wastewater treatment due to high ground water tables, poor soil percolation rates, and/or heavy rainfall conditions. Constructed wetlands are a technological response to these problems. Constructed wetland wastewater treatment systems can be defined as a man-made, engineered wetland area specifically designed for the purpose of treating wastewater by optimising the physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur in natural wetland ecosystems. Natural wetlands and their plant communities have evolved to thrive on nutrient rich, silted waters. Such ecosystems are evidently suited to treating nutrient-rich wastewaters. A constructed wetland can provide economical onsite wastewater treatment that is both effective and aesthetically pleasing. They are especially beneficial for wildlife (they provide the ideal environment for many waterfowl to nest in).

Constructed wetlands can be used for a wide variety of applications including farm runoff, slurry effluent, silage effluent, domestic and municipal wastewater, urban storm water, landfill leachate and many industrial wastewaters. They have many advantages over conventional wastewater treatment systems including: high treatment efficiency; low capital and running costs; minimum maintenance and low energy requirements. They are tolerant of variable loads; have no chemical requirements and are suitable for diverting effluent from existing overloaded systems.

What do they take out? For the technically minded of you!

Constructed wetlands can achieve stringent water quality standards, with BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) removal of 85%, and faecal coliform (bacteria) removal of 95%. Studies show that they are effective at removing nutrients such as nitrogen (from farm runoff) and phosphorous (from domestic drains).

Having read all about, come and see them in action.