Title: Clustered Constructed Wetland Systems in Metropolitan Taipei by Wei-Ta Fang, Shang-Shu Shih, Bai-You Cheng, and Jui-Yu Chou
Abstract:Since 2004, fourteen clustered constructed wetland systems have been built along the Danshui River and its tributaries. This “big-dig” project was designed to: 1) achieve water-quality standards accor...Since 2004, fourteen clustered constructed wetland systems have been built along the Danshui River and its tributaries. This “big-dig” project was designed to: 1) achieve water-quality standards according to the regulations of the Taipei municipal governments for connecting households to public sewage systems from clustered constructed wetland systems, 2) improve wastewater purification, and 3) use all corridor wetlands to promote sustainable development while supporting urban recreation, environmental education, and habitat restoration for biodiversity. Total construction cost was $33,706,600 ($US) for the systems. For 10 years, we studied and examined their functional capabilities associated with treating non-point source pollution. To date, monitoring water indicators, such as dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, ammonia, and Escherichia coli, at 13 sampling sites have demonstrated that water quality in Taipei metropolitan rivers has improved. Constructed wetlands in Metropolitan Taipei thereby play a crucial role in preventing extreme deteriorations in water quality. Our work has also shown that these constructed wetlands also control the flow of rivers in drought/flood seasons and increase biodiversity in this river corridor.Read More