Abstract:
Grey water has been discharged onto this wetland for more than thirty years
without any measurement of the quality of the influent and effluent. The
effluent eventually joins a stream (Kakum River) which is a source of water
for recreation, farming, drinking and fishing. The quality of the effluent which
enters the receiving water as well as the potential of the wetland in the
treatment process has not been determined. The purpose of this research is to
assess the potential of the wetland in grey water treatment.
Three communities in Cape Coast, the formal capital of Ghana were
selected for this work. The wetland under study has an area of about 17,928m2
and hydraulic loading rate of 0.0164m/d. Field studies were conducted to
demarcate the borders as well as to confirm the communities which discharges
into the wetland.
The results indicate that the wetland has very high potential in treating
grey water, with suspended solids showing high removal efficiency. It was
also inferred from the results that the wetland’s treatment is influenced by the
precipitation pattern of the area and this is clearly shown in the removal
efficiency of manganese.
The findings will help decision makers to make proper laws concerning
wetland use in Ghana. It will inform decision makers to officially consider
wetlands as alternatives for grey water treatment.
This paper assesses the potential of natural a wetland and makes
recommendations on its proper use as well as its limitations.
