Constructed wetlands have been recently adopted in Lebanon to remediate water pollution. This thesis aims to evaluate the efficiency of two constructed wetlands in removing contaminants from the horizontal wetland at Kherbit Kanafar (West Bekaa) and the vertical wetland at Bcharre (North Lebanon) in a dry and in a wet season, and to compare the suitability of the effluent water for irrigation. To this purpose, a comparative analysis of the mean values of BOD, DO, NO3, PO4, SO4, Metals, TDS and EC of the inflow and outflow water for both wetland systems was carried out. The results show the following percentage of removal of contaminants: phosphate 97%, sulfate 69% and iron 62% for Kherbit Kanafar, and 47%, 53% and 31% respectively for Bcharre.
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In conclusion, both constructed wetlands are efficient, well performing and suitable for the Lebanese context especially because they have low energy demand and maintenance requirements. In fact, vertical systems are well adapted for mountains, while horizontal systems are well adapted for flat areas. These preliminary results are of importance to the authorities who are updating the Lebanese Irrigation Standards. In addition, further comprehensive studies for better illustrating and understanding the constructed wetland efficiency are recommended.
