Treatment of waste water like industrial effluents and sewage is a major problem being faced by corporate sector in India. Of the late, due to major policy shift in industrial licensing policy, corporate sector have now started treatment of industrial waste before releasing the same in rivers.

As the water purveyor of Singapore, the Public Utilities Board (PUB), aims at ensuring efficient, adequate and sustainable supply of water. In an interview with Everything About Water Khoo Teng Chye, Chief Executive, PUB, talks about the initiatives taken by the board and how their efforts have been successful.

Constructed wetlands (CW) are being increasingly used worldwide to treat domestic wastewater by applying various technological designs. The systems are preferentially used due to simple technology in principle, reliable operating conditions and the potential to remove total nitrogen by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. Oct-Dec 2007

Nitrogen is an important nutrient in domestic and industrial wastewater and its elevated concentration in the wetland promotes explosive growth of algae. The decomposition of the algae leads to an excessive growth of bacteria, utilizing and dissolved oxygen from water. This process of rapid algal growth leading to oxygen-starved waters is known as eutrophication.

The treatment and disposal of wastewaters is becoming more and more important as ever increasing population and urbanization threaten existing potable water supplies in many areas of the world. Worldwide natural wetlands are still used for watewater treatment but at present, the use of constructed wetlands is becoming more popular and effective around the world.