UABJO Demonstration Wetland Wastewater Treatment, Reclamation, and Outreach

[edit] Introduction

In 2006, the University of Benito Juarez in Oaxaca, Mexico (UABJO) began implementation of a natural wastewater treatment, reuse, demonstration and outreach program. This program is comprised of two main components:

1. An on-campus demonstration wetland wastewater treatment system that treats a portion of campus wastewater and reuses this treated wastewater for on-campus landscaping.

2. An outreach program that consists of a conference series; demonstration system workshops; local community outreach; wastewater quality monitoring and analysis; and international exchange opportunities

The UABJO Demonstration Wetland Wastewater Treatment, Reclamation and Outreach program implementation is an ongoing process, with many measurable successes.

[edit] Background

Oaxaca City, the temperate capital of Oaxaca is located at about 5000 feet above sea level in the Sierra Madre de Sur Mountains. The rainy season in Oaxaca is normally June to August. In 2003, the estimated population was 526,000. The Oaxaca City recently built, and initiated a new activated sludge wastewater treatment plant. In addition, in surrounding communities, subsurface wetlands have been implemented to varying levels of success.

The UABJO project is unusual, as it is a collaborative effort between two international universities, and residents of Oaxaca. The University of Benito Juarez in Oaxaca, Oaxaca (UABJO) and Humboldt State University in Arcata, California (HSU) have a long standing relationship as sister campuses. HSU is assisting with project expertise and design; UABJO is funding, managing, operating and providing outreach on the project; and the State of Oaxaca constructed the system under the supervision of the UABJO.

[edit] Vision

The project vision entails implementation of a demonstration facility, where UABJO Chemistry Department conducts outreach programs, required water quality analyses, and system operation and maintenance. Outreach programs include an ongoing series of wastewater treatment/reuse and watershed management conferences and hands-on workshops at the demonstration facility. Conferences focus on connecting federal, state and local agencies on health and sanitation with concerned students, faculty and residents within the Oaxaca Valley. Conference topics address community specific water issues such as the context of wastewater treatment in the Oaxaca Valley, funding sources, design processes, treatment technology alternatives, water reclamation, other beneficial uses, challenges to system operation and maintenance, etc.

The demonstration program supports UABJO students, surrounding residents and system visitors to tour the on-campus facility, where participants can gain applied experience with water quality and wastewater collection, treatment, reuse and monitoring practices. In addition, the program incorporates site visits surrounding treatment systems. The international nature of this project may provide opportunities for students and faculty, beyond UABJO and HSU, to become more internationally engaged with the watershed management, health, sanitation and treatment technology represented on-campus.

[edit] On-campus wetland wastewater treatment and reuse system

With technical support from HSU, the Chemisty faculty at UABJO spearheaded the construction of a 10,000 cubic meter per day treatment system on-campus. The pilot-scale treatment system is comprised of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket, a facultative lagoon, two free surface wetlands, a disk filter, storage, and subsurface irrigation for on-campus landscaping. System construction was complete in March 2008, and system start-up is ongoing.

[edit] Outreach program

• HSU and UABJO collaborated to conduct two wastewater treatment design and watershed management conferences at the UABJO campus in March 2006, and Februrary 2008.

• UABJO has been conducting watershed management/wastewater technology education and surrounding community wastewater system monitoring/analysis since 2006.

[edit] Next steps

• The demonstration program will begin pending treatment system stabilization.

• Another wastewater treatment and watershed management conference is anticipated for February, 2009, with the support of the UABJO, Secretary of Health of Oaxaca, and the Mexico National Water Commision.