Water Restoration of an Urbanized Karst Stream by Free-Water-Surface Constructed Wetlands as Municipal Wastewater Posttreatment

The study was aimed at analyzing the effect of an increase of municipal effluent discharge quality on the water restoration of an urbanized karst stream, in order to define specific criteria and strategies to safeguard the water quality and to improve and control of the chemical characteristics of the effluent from municipal WWTP, prior to being discharged into the stream. A case study referred to an urbanized surface water body having locally a relevant role for nature, historical and social aspects, was examined. Water quality was examined in several scenarios in function of the treatment options. Wastewater discharge and water stream quality were verified by using models available in literature. Results showed a practical and real application of such a technology to the full scale.