Model-based design of horizontal subsurface flow constructed treatment wetlands: a review

The increasing application of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment coupled with increasingly strict water quality standards is an ever growing incentive for the development of better process design tools. This paper reviews design models for horizontal subsurface flow constructed treatment wetlands, ranging from simple rules of thumb and regression equations, to the well-known first-order k-C* models, Monod-type equations and more complex dynamic, compartmental models. Especially highlighted in this review are the model constraints and parameter uncertainty. A case study has been used to demonstrate the model output variability and to unravel whether or not more complex but also less manageable models offer a significant advantage to the designer.