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The Brookside Farm Wetland Ecosystem Treatment (WET) System: A Low-Energy Methodology for Sewage Purification, Biomass Production (Yield), Flood Resilience and Biodiversity Enhancement

Author

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  • Julian C. Abrahams

    (Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Coventry University, Ryton Organic Gardens, Wolston Lane, Coventry CV8 3LG, UK
    Biologic Design, Archenhills, Stanford Bishop, Bringsty, Herefordshire WR6 5TZ, UK)

  • Stephen J. Coupe

    (Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Coventry University, Ryton Organic Gardens, Wolston Lane, Coventry CV8 3LG, UK)

  • Luis A. Sañudo-Fontaneda

    (GICONSIME Research Group, Department of Construction and Manufacturing Engineering, Polytechnic School of Mieres, University of Oviedo, Calle Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirós s/n, Mieres (Asturias) 33600, Spain)

  • Ulrich Schmutz

    (Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Coventry University, Ryton Organic Gardens, Wolston Lane, Coventry CV8 3LG, UK)

Abstract

Wastewater from domestic developments, farms and agro-industrial processing can be sources of pollution in the environment; current wastewater management methods are usually machine-based, and thus energy consuming. When Permaculture Principles are used in the creation of water purification and harvesting systems, there can be multiple environmental and economic benefits. In the context of energy descent, it may be considered desirable to treat wastewater using minimal energy. The constructed wetland design presented here is a low-entropy system in which wastewater is harvested and transformed into lush and productive wetland, eliminating the requirement for non-renewable energy in water purification, and also maximising benefits: biodiversity, flood resilience and yield. In permaculture design, the high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous compounds in sewage are viewed as valuable nutrients, resources to be harvested by a constructed wetland ecosystem and converted into useful yield. Similarly, rainwater runoff is not viewed as a problem which can cause flooding, but as a potential resource to be harvested to provide a yield. This paper presents a case study, with both water quality and productivity data, from Brookside Farm UK, where the use of Permaculture Design Principles has created a combined wastewater management and purification system, accepting all site water.

Suggested Citation

  • Julian C. Abrahams & Stephen J. Coupe & Luis A. Sañudo-Fontaneda & Ulrich Schmutz, 2017. "The Brookside Farm Wetland Ecosystem Treatment (WET) System: A Low-Energy Methodology for Sewage Purification, Biomass Production (Yield), Flood Resilience and Biodiversity Enhancement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:1:p:147-:d:88359
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Byung-Chul An & Eun-Yeong Park, 2017. "Water Treatment Measures to Improve Ecological Value in Traditional Korean Villages: The Case of Oeam Village, Asan City, Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Qinge Wang & He Cao & Huanan Yu & Luwei Zhao & Jinchan Fan & Yingqing Wang, 2020. "Experimental Study on Purification Effect of Biochemical Pool Model for Treatment of Pavement Runoff by Aquatic Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Carlos Rey-Mahía & Luis A. Sañudo-Fontaneda & Valerio C. Andrés-Valeri & Felipe Pedro Álvarez-Rabanal & Stephen John Coupe & Jorge Roces-García, 2019. "Evaluating the Thermal Performance of Wet Swales Housing Ground Source Heat Pump Elements through Laboratory Modelling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-13, June.
    4. Ana Isabel Abellán García & Noelia Cruz Pérez & Juan C. Santamarta, 2021. "Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems in Spain: Analysis of the Research on SUDS Based on Climatology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-25, June.

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