2nd International Forum on Sustainable in ASIA (2nd NIES International Forum)

Bali, Indonesia, 26th -28th January, 2017

THE USE OF HORIZONTAL SUB-SURFACE FLOW CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS TO TREAT

LAUNDRY WASTEWATER
Purnama, IG. H1
Environmental Health Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University
1)
patjoel@yahoo.com

Abstract - Recently laundry services have increased significantly in Bali. Preventing the impact of laundries’ wastewater,
Horizontal Flow Sub-surface Flow Constructed Wetland system was created considered the cost and the usage of
Kintamani volcanic rocks as filter media.

This study aim to measure laundry waste water removal rate of BOD5, COD, TSS and pH in Horizontal Flow Sub-surface
Flow Constructed Wetland system. Wetland system in this study used Kintamani Vulcanic Rocks as the filter media and
planted with Canna Plant (Canna sp.).

The results showed that the removal rate of TSS was 59.43%, BOD5 was 84.31%, COD was 67.41%, while pH number
showed between 7.6 – 7.8 on the effluent, which stated that the range of pH was on normal range.

It is concluded that Horizontal Sub Surface Flow Constructed Wetlands system using Kintamani Vulcanic Rock and Canna
sp. as the macrophytes plants were effectives to remove organic compounds on laundry waste water because the removal
rate were above 80%.

Keywords: horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetlands, laundry wastewater, vulcanic rock

1. Introduction
Nowadays Laundry services increase significantly in Bali. This services offered by various industries from small
scale to large scale industries. The increase of laundry services, especially small and medium scale has spread out in each
district in Bali due to the business potential of laundry from the tourism industries in Bali (Antara et al., 2011). The
significant increase also impact on the steep rise of the wastewater coming from this services which discharged to the
environment.
Wastewater from laundry activities have a harmful impact on the environment and health. A study conducted by
Esmiralda et al. (2012) showed that the concentration of surfactant and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) is high in the
laundry waste which means that the waste is more toxic and riskier pollute the environment and biota in it. In addition to
toxic effects, laundry waste also caused eutrophication in water body. According to Kohler (2006), sodium
tripolyphosphates content in laundry wastewater influences significant increase in the growth of water hyacinth, algae and
cyanobacteria in water body which then reduces the oxygen content in the water which accelerates eutrophication process.
The impact of eutrophication for health is merely a risk of poisoning and diseases originating from water (foodborne
diseases) due to the use of water from the waters which suffered eutrophication. The risks caused by the toxin produced by
cyanobacteria that grow in water (Volterra et al, 2002).

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 The impact of laundry waste water should be minimized through efforts to control water pollution. Efforts are
arranged in a variety of regulations set by the Ministry of Environment and the local government, i.e Governor of Bali Law
No. 8 of 2007 (now converted into Governor of Bali Law No. 16 of 2016) on environmental quality standards applied in
Bali. To adjust the quality standards, it is necessary to aplly a waste water treatment plant to meet Government Regulation
and more important is to save the environment.
Constructed Wetland is one type of wastewater treatment plants that can be applied in Indonesia, especially in
Bali with a cheaper construction cost, easy maintenance, sustainability of the installations that can reach 15 years, as well
as flexible shape determination (Wastewater Garden. 2012). Based on Zurita et al. (2006) study, the effectiveness of
wastewater treatment with this method is able to reduce the content of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of more than
70%, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of more than 75%, and the phosphorus content of over 66%.
Determination of Horizontal Sub-Surface Flow Constructed Wetlands using volcanic rock as media that will be
used in this study because of the type of Constructed Wetland require slight land and has a higher percentage reduction in
organic matter content compared to other types of Constructed Wetland (Vymazal, 2008). Determination of volcanic rock
as a filter media because of volcanic rock is a type of substrate is best used in Sub-Surface Flow Constructed Wetland for
both Vertical and Horizontal Flow Sub-Surface Flow Constructed Wetland rather than other types of rocks (Du Poldt,
1998; Wastewater Garden, 2012).

2. Methodes
Horizontal Sub Surface Flow Constructed Wetlands in this study using two plastic boxes with a capacity of 100
liters with a height of 0.4 meters and a length of 0.8 meters. Kintamani Volcanic Rock used are prepared by arrangement
from the bottom up, namely; Volcanic stone layer with an average size of 2-3 cm height 35 cm. Pipes used in the model is
a PVC pipe with a diameter of 0.5 inches with a debit entry into the system at 347 mL/min. After the volcanic rock
composed, laundry waste water flowed into the system. After a plastic box filled with waste water, is then planted with
Canna (Canna sp.). Planting structure is done by planting nine plants in each plastic box with a distance of 25cm between
plants and spacing between plants with the edge of the drum 5 cm with a depth of 10 cm from the surface of the water.
Wastewater samples have been processed in this Wetlands system was compared to the Quality Standard on the
Minister of Environment Government of Indonesia Law No. 05 of 2014, which are conducted once weekly for 6 weeks for
laboratory tests. Laboratory parameters tested are BOD5, COD, pH and TSS.

3. Result
After the laundry waste water undergoes treatment in wetland systems, sampling and laboratory testing for 6
weeks with the main parameters, namely; BOD5, COD, TSS, and pH are listed in Table 1 below.

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 Table 1. Wastewater Effluent Quality Horizontal Sub-Surface Flow Constructed Wetlands

The following picture present the effectiveness of organic material reduction per week

Picture 1. The effectiveness of organic material reduction per week

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The decline in organic matter content significantly occurred from the second week, where the removal efficiency is above
50% for all organic compounds.

4. Discussion

The effectiveness of the reduction of waste water parameter value has been above 80% for all parameters, except
for TSS, from weeks 3,5 and 6, while for BOD5 and COD reduction was above 80% since the first Week of the effluent
water sampling. The removal rate of TSS was below 65% which caused by various factors, namely; volcanic rock filter
size relatively large and the inconsistent quality of incoming waste water in every laundering session.

The size of the stones used as a filter ideally sized 0.8-1.6 cm. However, size of the stones used in this research
was 3-5 cm, meaning that the size of the filter is two times larger than it should be. Large size filters do not provide enough
pores for bacteria to attached, so that cause the degradation of pollutants in waste water does not take place optimally.
Moreover, large size of stones provides more space between media and uneven distribution of wastewater. This situation
lead to less screening process and detention time of solid particles in the water (Vymazal, 2002).
In addition, large size of filters would enlarge the space between the filter so that the flow rate of laundry waste
water into the system will then faster than they should. The quick contact time of the laundry waste water in the system
will cause less contact time with filter. Hence, duration of the processing of organic materials and other materials in the
laundry waste water is faster and not optimal. On the other hand, the flow rate of waste water that is different at every point
in the system will cause an imbalance treatment processes which cause the treatment processes in the reactor not optimal to
treat laundry waste water (Environmental Protection Agency. 2000; Lavrova and Koumanova. 2013).
It was found that removal efficiency of TSS was the lowest compared to other parameters. It is mostly caused by
non-proper treatment prior to entering the Wetlands system. The content of dissolved solids in the waste water laundry
consist mostly detergent and bleach which are highly soluble in water so that it requires a prior treatment such as Pre-
Sedimentation unit so that the solid and the dissolved solids are easily separated from the laundry waste water (Patterson,
2000). The process of reduction of TSS in wastewater rely by only filter process. In addition, the wetland system which has
a large size filter does not work optimally in the filter and hold the solids in the system due to the small number of pores in
the large-sized filter (Environmental Protection Agency. 2000; Vymazal. 2002).

The effectiveness of the reduction of BOD5, COD have a high enough value in Week 1 and 4. It was because in
between Week 2 and 3 which took place in mid-April, the laundry services where this study done, use other type of
detergent which cause different content of organic matter compared to the first week of the study. The fewer content of
surfactants in the product causes the organic matter content in the waste water need less oxygen to decompose organic
materials. In addition, inconsistent amount of detergents use in each laundering session led to differences in amount of
organic matter in the waste water produced per session (Fardiaz. 1992; Effendi. 2003).

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 Another thing which affects the performance of TSS reduction below 65% is performance between plants,
filters and micro-organisms in the system. Large size filter that causes disruption of shoots growth of the plant. This
situation will cause less growth of microorganisms in the system to degrade organic matters in the waste water
(Environmental Protection Agency. 2000; Lavrova and Koumanova. 2013).

5. Conclusion

Horizontal Flow system operation Sub-Surface Flow Constructed Wetland able to reduce all waste water
parameters especially TSS, BOD5, pH and COD.The average removal rate is in the value of 59.43% for TSS, BOD 5
amounted to 84.31%, and COD is 85.36%. Low percentage of TSS removal is caused partly by the size of the filter media
which is still 2 times than the recommended size, which lead to not optimum processes of TSS removal.

Acknowledgements
The researcher would like to thank CV. Bali Kandi for supporting this research and students of Environmental
Health unit which help me much in sampling processes.

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