Floating community wastewater treatment in Asia To design and field-test at village scale a simple cost-effective wastewater treatment system for floating communities in Southeast Asia. Floating “Pods” that use the microbial activity on aquatic plant roots are installed under the toilet of houseboats. Wetlands Work!, WW
The socio-entrepreneurial start-up Wetlands Work! received a grant in Round 7 of the Bill and Melinda Gates Grand Challenges Exploration program. WW! has developed an individual household wastewater treatment system that uses floating “Pods” - similar in appearance to children’s wading pools - that are positioned directly under the toilets of houseboats occupied by low-income fishing families. Similar to aquatic mesocosms, the Pods are filled with floating plants, and the bacteria that reside on the plant roots are capable of breaking down contaminants and making the water significantly cleaner. Presently, Pods are installed throughout an entire floating community and data on water quality (indicator organisms) and diarrheal incidence (children 10 yrs.) are monitored and compared to a control village without pod intervention.
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Rural areasProduct design and engineeringSpecific to one or several countriesTreatment of wastewater or greywaterConstructed wetlandsOtherBill & Melinda Gates FoundationRuralPractitionersPrivate sector, including social enterprises
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Cambodia
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