Man-made wetlands between Dallas and Houston use nature to turn wastewater into high-quality, reliable drinking water. The water runs through shallow ponds of lush vegetation to filter out phosphorous and nitrates until the wastewater runs clear.
The News Tribune reported the 2,000-acre wetland system in Fairfield converts what is mainly treated wastewater, that would otherwise flow into the Gulf of Mexico, into an additional 65 million gallons per day, feeding the Richland-Chambers Reservoir—a significant contribution in a state enduring prolonged drought.
The wetlands project cost far less to build than traditional filtering infrastructures and has been noticed by water planners as far away as Mexico City and Baghdad. Reusing wastewater through wetland purification can provide a supply of water in times of drought, potential climate change and reduce stress of water utilities’ dependence on rainfall.
The concept of man-made wetlands has been around for decades and recently has proven reliable and economical, providing environments for plant and bird life. Wastewater is flushed upstream, travels downstream passing through filtering plants and is released into a reservoir. Communities throughout the U.S. are looking to wetland projects for ecological solutions.