| The world's human population continues to expand exponentially while Planet Earth's resources are mismanaged. Arid regions, where the population is not only growing at a high rate but which are themselves increasing in land area due to desertification, face severe water shortages. Attempts at finding solutions to this problem have involved research in three areas: finding ways to conserve water or use it more efficiently; finding ways to reuse water, especially for agriculture; and reversing desertification.; The objective of this thesis was to design a system in which these three areas of research are combined. The integrated system proposed in this thesis involves using constructed wetlands of the type used in other places to treat wastewater with modifications for arid or semi-arid environments. The effluent of these wetlands is then allowed to flow into the ground at a controlled rate to recharge the groundwater aquifers, raising the water table in the vicinity of the wetlands considerably. Sludge accumulating in the wetland cells and pretreatment lagoons can then be applied to stabilize the soil in the area where the water table is at a location appropriate for agriculture, and treated water from the wetland cells can be used to irrigate crops. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
