Constructed Wetlands and Wastewater Management for Confined Animal Feeding Operations

Dairy, cattle, swine, and poultry producers can help improve the quality of our streams, lakes, rivers, and estuaries by reducing the amount of pollutants released with wastwater. To do so, producers need practical and cost-effective ways to treat wastewater before it leaves the farm. One of those treatment options is a constructed wetland-a treatment system that uses natural processes to improve water quality. Constructed wetlands have been treating other kinds of wastewaters for many years, and, as this brochure demonstrates, they show promise for treating wastewaters from confined animal feeding operations as well. Designed to be an overview of how wetland systems can be used to manage wastewater, this brochure introduces the following topics: What wetland systems are and how they work; How wetland systems have performed for existing confined animal feeding operations; How to incorporate a wetland into a wastewater management system; What is involved in designing and constructing a wetland system; Where to get more information.