Experimental and Modeling Studies of Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands Treating Domestic Wastewater : Thesis

Sustainable sanitation and water pollution control calls for adoption of affordable and efficient wastewater treatment technologies. In the developing countries, the safe management of wastewater is not widespread. There is therefore a need for an appropriate technology that can reliably achieve acceptable effluent quality for discharge to the environment at minimal cost. Constructed wetland (CW) systems have been used as a cost effective alternative to conventional methods of wastewater treatment. However, the mechanistic understanding of the CW has not matured, while performance data that can guide design and operation of CW under tropical climate are scarce.

This study explores the treatment of domestic wastewater with subsurface constructed wetlands, in order to provide performance data that can influence design and operation of CW under tropical conditions and to evaluate the processes involved with the transformation and degradation of organic matter and nutrients.

The thesis contributes to performance data and getting a better mechanistic understanding about the factors influencing the performance of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (HSSF-CW) treating real domestic wastewater under tropical conditions. The findings obtained in this research may prove useful towards the wider application of the constructed wetland wastewater treatment technology and the optimization of full-scale HSSF-CW.

Njenga Mburu holds an MSc. and a BSc. degrees in Civil Engineering obtained, respectively, in 1997 and 2004, from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Juja, Kenya. He is a graduate member of the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), the Institute of Engineers of Kenya (IEK), and a licensed lead Expert with the National Environmental Management Authority in Kenya.

After his undergraduate studies, he worked as a hydrologist for the Ministry of Water in Kenya. Between 2002-2004, in the course of his post-graduate studies at JKUAT, he served as a part-time lecturer at the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and was also engaged as a training logistics officer at the African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD), Juja, Kenya.

Njenga's research focuses on performance evaluation and mechanistic simulation of the subsurface constructed wetland for wastewater treatment. His current research interests include sustainable sanitation concepts and appropriate pollution prevention technologies for the developing countries.

Njenga Mburu is currently a lecturer in the department of Civil and Structural Engineering at the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya. He teaches both undergraduate and post-graduate courses in water and wastewater treatment, and public health engineering.