by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
The wastewater treatment plant at the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties (SUD) will be the site of a trial wetlands project for cleaning wastewater, a research effort undertaken jointly by the University of the South and the University of Georgia. The ground-breaking ceremony was held this morning, Sept. 26, at the site agreed upon by SUD and the project directors. [See related story on page 6.] There are presently only two small-scale wetland treatment facilities operational in Tennessee.
The new project will incorporate flow beds and water-loving vegetation to improve water quality through natural biological processes resulting in the uptake of excess nutrients by plants, the degradation of pollutants and contaminants by microbes, and the trapping of sediments containing constituents like pharmaceuticals.
SUD has a long history as an innovative leader in wastewater treatment. In 1988 SUD implemented a spray-field system, where the water is dispersed in a mist over carefully managed tracts of land vegetated in trees that use the nutrients in the water to foster growth.
“When we went to spray fields, we thought it was the most environmentally just method,” said Sewanee forestry professor Scott Torreano. “Constructed wetlands are a step up.” Torreano is the wetlands project construction manager.
“We’re trying to be even better stewards. There’s a long list of immerging contaminants not regulated by the EPA, such as pharmaceuticals, that have demonstrated harm in non-human organisms,” said biology professor Deborah McGrath, the project director. Some communities are struggling to make their wastewater suitable for release into the environment, Torreano said.
After the Sept. 16 SUD board meeting, when frustrations were aired about communication with the University concerning the project, members of the project committee and SUD manager Ben Beavers met on Sept. 17 to select a site for the wetlands project. The SUD board called a working session meeting on Sept. 22 to inform the board of full project details in anticipation of today’s ceremony.
The Coca-Cola Foundation and Coca-Cola Bottling Company United recently awarded the University a $590,000 water stewardship grant. The grant supports the study of a constructed wetland’s efficiency in terms of land area required, cost and effectiveness in removing contaminants compared to other wastewater treatment methods. Another goal of the project is to engage the public in a discussion of wastewater treatment issues.
“We all want the same thing,” said SUD board president Cliff Huffman in expressing his support for the project. Research project representatives will attend monthly SUD board meetings to address any questions raised by the SUD board and community. SUD board meetings are open to the public.
The constructed wetlands project is expected to be operational by the fall of 2015. “We hope to involve the community in planting and other tasks,” said McGrath. The research project is expected to last at least five years.
“The grant is seed money, putting us in a much better position to move forward to other research questions,” Torreano said. Future grants might fund research on different kinds of vegetation, different flow rates, and cleaning even dirtier water.
After treatment in the constructed wetlands, the water will be dispersed over the spray fields. The wetlands site will feature paths and a boardwalk to accommodate observation by visitors and access for sampling and monitoring. Researchers will use native plant species whenever possible.
“It will be interesting to see what bird and amphibian species the site attracts,” said McGrath.
“Collaboration with SUD is one of the longest examples of community engagement learning in the history of the University,” said Torreano, “a relationship going back more than 30 years.”
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