A Natural Fix
First ever constructed wetland (CW) was built in Australia in 1904. However, the first experiments on using natural wetland plants in CWs to treat wastewater were conducted in Germany in the early 1950s. The first full-scale constructed wetland systems were put into operation in the late 1960s. India’s first CW, of 90m × 30m size, was installed at Sainik School, Bhubaneshwar in the State of Orissa in 1980’s. Four decades later, Several states in India host hundreds of CWs to treat wastewater either in isolation or integrated with conventional sewage treatment plants (STP’s). In Kashmir CW systems have not seen the light. Recently an attempt by a faculty at GDC Charari Sharief has constructed one subsurface flow and insulated CW to treat the sewage generated by a village namely Garoora in Bandipora on the coast line of Wular lake. The project was funded by Jammu and Kashmir Science Technology and Innovation Council (J&K STIC), DST, Govt. of J&K, UT.
Meaning
CW’s, designed to treat wastewater or sewage, are engineered systems that are built to utilize natural wetland processes involved in the transformation and removal of pollutants, but under more controlled conditions. CWs can be built with a greater degree of control than natural systems, thus allowing the construction of treatment facilities with a well-defined composition of substrates, vegetation types and flow patterns. In addition, CW’s offer several additional advantages compared to natural wetlands, including site selection, flexibility in sizing and, most importantly, control over the hydraulic pathways and retention time.
Plants are an indispensable part of CWs; however, their role in pollution removal is rather indirect, such as the insulation of subsurface flow systems, provision of oxygen to otherwise anoxic substrates, provision of surface for attached bacteria, excretion of antibacterial compounds from the roots and the reduction of wind allowing better sedimentation of the suspended solids in surface flow CWs. The direct role is restricted to the uptake of nutrients if the biomass is harvested.
In comparison to STPs, CWs have minimum operation and maintenance costs, minimum energy input, and no use of chemicals. They are also an environmentally friendly option. The technology has become international since the 1990s, facilitated by exchange among scientists and researchers around the world.
Why CWs are important for Kashmir ?
Despite being a globally recognised technology for wastewater treatment, CWs remain absent in Kashmir’s environmental management strategies. Across Europe, America, Australia, and even parts of India and Pakistan, this nature-based solution such as CW has been integrated into urban and rural wastewater treatment systems. In China one can see CW at every one kilometre distance. Yet, in Kashmir—where fragile ecosystems are struggling under mounting pollution of sewage—the technology has not found a place in policy or practice.
With an extensive network of lakes, rivers, and wetlands, the Valley’s water bodies once had a self-sustaining filtration system. But as sewage, agricultural runoff, and encroachments choke these natural wetlands, their ability to absorb pollutants has drastically declined. The absence of an alternative wastewater treatment approach raises urgent questions about environmental priorities and sustainable water management in the region.
Why CWs are absent in Kashmir?
Several factors may have contributed to the neglect of this proven technology. First possible reason can be a policy gap. Conservation efforts in Kashmir have focused largely on protection rather than innovation. The disconnect between urban development and ecological management has stalled the adoption of sustainable wastewater solutions. Another reason can be a deficit in infrastructure, awareness and expertise. While cities and towns in India and Pakistan have incorporated CWs into their sewage treatment systems, Kashmir continues to rely on outdated, inefficient, or non-existent wastewater treatment mechanisms.
Over dependence on natural wetlands is another reason that local policy makers don’t realise the importance of CWs. Once, the natural purifiers, Hokersar, Shalabugh, Wular, and other wetlands are now overburdened by untreated waste. Without intervention, they risk permanent degradation.
Last but not the least, financial and administrative roadblocks is the reason the CWs couldn’t see the light of the day in Kashmir. CWs require funding, technical expertise, and policy-level commitment—priorities that have often been overlooked by authorities.
Advantages of CWs over conventional STPs
In regions like Kashmir, characterised by cold climates, CWs offer several benefits over traditional sewage treatment plants (STPs). CWs operate passively, relying on natural processes without the need for external energy inputs, making them more suitable for areas with limited energy infrastructure. Hence energy efficient systems.
The lower construction and maintenance costs of CWs make them an economically viable option, especially for rural or resource-constrained settings. Hence cost effective.
While cold temperatures can affect microbial activity in treatment systems like STPs, CWs can be designed to mitigate these impacts, ensuring effective performance even in winter months. For instance, subsurface flow systems can be insulated against freezing temperatures, maintaining treatment efficacy. Hence resilient.
Unlike the often intrusive infrastructure of conventional STPs, CWs can be integrated into the natural landscape, enhancing biodiversity and providing additional ecological benefits. Hence safe ecological integration systems.
The way forward
If adopted in Kashmir, CWs could be integrated into urban planning, particularly in towns and villages surrounding Dal Lake, Wular, and Jhelum. A collaborative effort involving public-private partnerships, research institutions, and local governance is needed to transform this overlooked solution into actionable policy.
The question remains—will Kashmir embrace a time-tested approach to safeguard its water bodies from pollution by sewage, or will it continue down the path of ecological decline?
Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, expert in constructed wetland systems, teacher and a researcher.
