Resources - Free Downloads and Open Source

This site aims to provide a resource of information on constructed wetlands along with a series of links to other sources and websites.

The CWA has produced the following free resources:

CWA guidelines for small sewage treatment works 

Treatment wetlands for secondary treatment in the UK 

Constructed Wetland Hub

We will shortly upload a gallery of case studies to showcase, too. In the meantime, please check our CWA members' case studies on their websites.

The CWA is not responsible for the content of external sites which are linked for a number of reasons, including further relevant information and key source material, and practical information. Most of these will be free to access, but users may sometimes be asked to register or subscribe before viewing content.

Gabriela Dotro, Günter Langergraber, Pascal Molle, Jaime Nivala, Jaume Puigagut, Otto Stein, Marcos von Sperling. (2017). Treatment Wetlands.  Biological wastewater treatment series, Vol 7, IWA Publishing. Free to download: https://doi.org/10.2166/9781780408774 

Langergraber, Gunter, Dotro, Gabriela, Nivala, Jaime, Rizzo, Anacleto, Stein, Otto. (2020). Wetland Technology: Practical Information on the Design and Application of Treatment Wetlands. IWA Publishings. Free to download: https://doi.org/10.2166/9781789060171 

Long-term operation of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor coupled with a two-stage constructed wetland for domestic wastewater treatment 

Research article 
Chemical Engineering Journal, Article Number 157216, Available online 29 October 2024 
T. Seintos, A. Koukoura, S. Malamis 

Revealing the Size Effect Mechanisms of Micro(nano)plastics on Nitrogen Removal Performance of Constructed Wetland 

Research article 
Journal of Hazardous Materials, Article Number 136409, Available online 7 November 2024 
Yanhui Zhao, Zhen Hu, Jian Zhang 

Effective treatment of phosphorus-laden wastewater via coupling pyrite-microbial fuel cell with constructed wetlands: The role of pyrite and substrate filling mode 

Research article 
Journal of Water Process Engineering, Volume 71, Article Number 107177, March 2025 
Zhiyuan Du, Sai Bai, Xiaoming Peng 

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve treatment performance and vegetative resilience in constructed wetlands exposed to microplastics : Research article 
Environmental Research, Volume 270, Article Number 121049, 1 April 2025 
Kristina Kralj, Zhongbing Chen 

Advanced treatment of dairy industrial wastewater using vertical flow constructed wetlands 

Open Access - Research article 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 162, Pages 149-155, September 2019 
Vahid Yazdani, Hossein Alizadeh Golestani 

Calcium regulates nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands: The interactions between dissolved organic matter and microbial response 

Research article 
Chemical Engineering Journal, Article Number 157161, Available online 28 October 2024 
Dongdong Yao, Huijun Xie, Jian Zhang 

Phytoremediation of municipal wastewater for reuse using three pilot-scale HFCW under different HLR, HRT, and vegetation: a case study from Egypt 

Open Access - Research article 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 140, Pages 80-90, February 2019 
Sohair I. Abou-Elela, Mohamed S. Hellal, Mohamed A. Elekhnawy 

Optimizing Constructed Wetland Design and Operation for Dual Benefits: A Critical Review to Enhance Micropollutant Removal While Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions 

Open Access - Review article 
Environmental Research, Article Number 120144, Available online 15 October 2024 
M. A. Salinas-Toledano, T. L. Gómez-Borraz, F. Y. Garcia-Becerra 

Septage treatment using a combined waste stabilization ponds—vertical flow constructed wetland system 

Open Access - Research article 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 51, Issues 13–15, Pages 3011-3017, March 2013 
M. Tsalkatidou, M. Gratziou, N. Kotsovinos 

Saline domestic sewage treatment in constructed wetlands: study of plant selection and treatment characteristics 

Open Access - Research article 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 53, Issue 3, Pages 593-602, January 2015 
Feng Gao, Zhao-Hui Yang, Wei-Hong Jin 

Comparative evaluation of total phosphorus removal performances for treatment of domestic and secondary wastewater using integrated vertical-flow constructed wetlands: two years’ experience 

Open Access 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 56, Issue 5, Pages 1379-1388, October 2015 
Jun-jun Chang, Su-qing Wu, Wei Liang 

Pollutant removal efficiency of mesocosm HSSF-constructed wetlands treating highway runoff with different filter materials and HRT 

Open Access - Research article 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 54, Issue 1, Pages 103-112, April 2015 
Rajendra Prasad Singh, DaFang Fu, DaNeng Fu 

Microplastics in two different constructed wetlands systems for wastewater treatment: removal and fate 

Research article 
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Article Number 114341, Available online 3 October 2024 
Qintong Wang, Yanyao Li, Diederik P. L. Rousseau 

Optimized ammonium-nitrate ratios in constructed wetlands for simultaneously efficient nitrogen removal and greenhouse gas reduction 

Research article 
Journal of Water Process Engineering, Volume 67, Article Number 106223, November 2024 
Ling-Min Zhang, Ran Liu, Hong-Cheng Wang 

Performance of carbon and nitrogen removal in a system combining an aerobic trickling filter followed by two stages of vertical flow treatment wetland 

Open Access - Research article 
Ecological Engineering, Volume 209, Article Number 107409, December 2024 
Kevin Maciejewski, Mathieu Gautier, Remy Gourdon 

Effect of plant species on wastewater treatment performance of a subsurface vertical-flow constructed wetland with step-feeding at low temperature 

Research article 
Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 370, Article Number 122546, November 2024 
Menglu Huang, Lin Zhao, Yongkui Yang 

A review of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) removal in constructed wetlands: Mechanisms, enhancing strategies and environmental risks 

Review article 
Environmental Research, Volume 262, Part 2, Article Number 119967, 1 December 2024 
Mingjun Li, Xin Zhao, Haiming Wu 

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and nutrients from two constructed wetlands in a city of southeastern China 

Open Access - Research article 
Heliyon, Volume 10, Issue 18, Article Number e37551, 30 September 2024 
Shiyue Li, Zhen Zhao, Tian Lin 

Review of hydraulic conditions optimization for constructed wetlands 

Review article 
Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 370, Article Number 122377, November 2024 
Fangxing Zhao, Xinwen Zhang, Wancheng Luo 

Phosphorus removal in surface flow treatment wetlands for domestic wastewater treatment: Global experiences, opportunities, and challenges 

Open Access - Research article 
Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 369, Article Number 122392, October 2024 
Tao Lyu, Tom Headley, Gabriela Dotro 

Multilayer partially saturated vertical flow wetlands for advanced small community wastewater treatment 

Open Access - Research article 
Ecological Engineering, Volume 209, Article Number 107390, December 2024 
Sukhjit P. Singh, Chris C. Tanner, Graeme D. E. Glasgow 

Microplastic removal and risk assessment framework in a constructed wetland for the treatment of combined sewer overflows 

Open Access - Research article 
Science of The Total Environment, Article Number 175864, Available online 29 August 2024 
Chiara Sarti, Alessandra Cincinelli, Fabio Masi 

Reliability and probability of organic and biogenic pollutants removal in a constructed wetland wastewater treatment plant in the aspect of its long-term operation 

Open Access - Research article 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 278, Pages 13-22, December 2022 
Piotr Bugajski, Zbigniew Mucha, Włodzimierz Wójcik 

Enhancing environmental and economic benefits of constructed wetlands through plant recovery: A life cycle perspective 

Research article 
Science of The Total Environment, Article Number 175784, Available online 24 August 2024 
Xue Zhou, Jixian Yang, Xinyue Zhao 

Long-term performance of aerated and planted constructed wetland treatment on domestic wastewater 

Open Access - Research article 
Desalination and Water Treatment, Volume 64, Pages 64-71, February 2017 
Jingjing Lv, Li’an Hou, Yiwen Wu