Evaluation of Constructed Wetlands for Treating Domestic Wastewater in Rural Communities in Borno State, North East Nigeria

Access to adequate wastewater treatment facilities in rural North East Nigeria is extremely limited, contributing to environmental contamination and waterborne disease burden. Constructed wetlands offer a cost-effective, low-maintenance treatment technology suitable for resource-constrained communities. This study evaluated the performance of pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands in treating domestic wastewater at two rural communities in Borno State. Two wetland systems planted with Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia were monitored over nine months for treatment efficiency across key parameters including biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and faecal coliform removal. Influent and effluent samples were collected weekly and analysed using standard methods. Results showed average removal efficiencies of 82 percent for biochemical oxygen demand, 78 percent for total suspended solids, 61 percent for total nitrogen, and 55 percent for total phosphorus. Faecal coliform removal averaged 99 percent, with effluent meeting World Health Organization guidelines for reuse in restricted agricultural irrigation. Typha-planted systems showed marginally superior performance for nitrogen removal. Operation and maintenance costs were low and manageable by trained community health workers. The study concludes that constructed wetlands represent a viable and sustainable wastewater treatment option for rural communities in North East Nigeria and recommends a scaled deployment programme supported by Borno State rural water and sanitation agencies. Keywords: constructed wetlands, wastewater treatment, rural communities, Borno State, phytoremediation.