1. Green Filters: a sustainable wastewater treatment strategy for small towns in developing countries

2. GREEN FILTERS An strategy to achieve sustainable wastewater treatment What do Green Filters are? How does a Green Filters Project works? What are the components of a Green Filters System? What to expect from a Green Filters System? What to take care of?

3. What do Green Filters are? Wastewater Inflow Wastewater make contact with the roost of the macrophytes and the bacteria that grow in their surface. Heavy suspended solids get trapped in the roots of the plants, or slowly settle into the bottom of the channels. Bacteria transform organic matter into nutrients that stimulate the macrophytes growth. Treated water Outflow … consists in using plant species, already established in the region, that are planted in long, narrow and shallow channels…

4. Advantages Low implementation costs Low operation costs Positive impacts in terms of biodiversity No odours No energy required No chemicals required Disadvantages It needs space. Terrain availability.

5. How does a Green Filters Project works? LOCATION (Where can this technology be useful?) VIABILITY ANALISYS (Is it suitable in terms of area availability?) APPROACH TO THE COMMUNITY (Are the people willing to participate in the project?) DESIGN (Primary treatment units and green filters channels) CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOPS (local technicians and community in general) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (water quality analysis) Achieve LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

7. How does a Green Filters Project works? LOCATION (Where can this technology be useful?) VIABILITY ANALISYS (Is it suitable in terms of area availability?) APPROACH TO THE COMMUNITY (Are the people willing to participate in the project?) DESIGN (Primary treatment units and green filters channels) CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOPS (local technicians and community in general) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (water quality analysis) Achieve LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

9. How does a Green Filters Project works? LOCATION (Where can this technology be useful?) VIABILITY ANALISYS (Is it suitable in terms of area availability?) APPROACH TO THE COMMUNITY (Are the people willing to participate in the project?) DESIGN (Primary treatment units and green filters channels) CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOPS (local technicians and community in general) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (water quality analysis) Achieve LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

11. How does a Green Filters Project works? LOCATION (Where can this technology be useful?) VIABILITY ANALISYS (Is it suitable in terms of area availability?) APPROACH TO THE COMMUNITY (Are the people willing to participate in the project?) DESIGN (Primary treatment units and green filters channels) CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOPS (local technicians and community in general) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (water quality analysis) Achieve LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

13. How does a Green Filters Project works? LOCATION (Where can this technology be useful?) VIABILITY ANALISYS (Is it suitable in terms of area availability?) APPROACH TO THE COMMUNITY (Are the people willing to participate in the project?) DESIGN (Primary treatment units and green filters channels) CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOPS (local technicians and community in general) PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (water quality analysis) ACHIEVE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

14. What are the components of a Green Filters System?

15. What to expect from a Green Filters System? PARAMETER Public Services Company (dry season)Provincial Water Plan of Boyacá (wet season) Inlet (mg/L)Outlet (mg/L)Efficiency %Inlet (mg/L)Outlet (mg/L)Efficiency % BOD261119619289 COD3434487601083 TSS206228950018064 F&O5642259278 PARAMETER CAR - Optimal MaintenanceANALQUIM Insufficient Maintenance Inlet (mg/L)Outlet (mg/L)Efficiency %Inlet (mg/L)Outlet (mg/L)Efficiency % BOD4961198495699 COD87273,39298815784 TSS31899763627657 F&O1040251361589

16. 1.Vectors Control (Bacillus thuringiensis) 2.Treatment performance (avoid organic and/or hydraulic overloads ) 3.Vegetation (Local-Endemic) 4.Maintenance (strict and permanent) What to take care of?

17. Harvest of 1/3 of the total accumulated Biomass every 2 months. Removal of the fats and oils accumulated in the septic tank every week. Cleansing of the Sifting system every week. Removal of the accumulated sludge in the desander, septic tank and first channel every one and a half years. 17

19. Contact: Felipe Valderrama Escallón fvalde@fundacionhumedales.org www.fundacionhumedales.org