The use of marsh plants for the treatment of waste water in areas designated for recreation and tourism

In areas designated for recreation and tourism in the Flevoland polder and in the Lauwersmeer area of the Netherlands waste water is collected via a system of sewers. In several cases the distances between the areas concerned and the nearest village or urban sewage treatment plants are such that transport of the sewage to these plants is not feasible. This means that alternative methods of treatment are needed for the sewage from these areas. The volumes are relatively low and in most cases sewage is produced during the summer months only. given these conditions, the requirements which must be met by any treatment method employed are as follows: it must be easy to operate; the installation and construction costs must be low; operating costs must be low; it must not be sensitive to fluctuations in the load; it must give good treatment results. Ponds planted with bulrushes or reeds and infiltration ponds planted with reeds can meet these requirements.