The first treatment plant in the Canton Grisons using phytoremediation is to be set up at Suraua, and will be an addition to the dozen or so similar plants which already exist elsewhere in Switzerland. The decision was taken recently by the Suraua town council.
But what is a phytoremediation plant, and how does it work?
The answer is, naturally. The water is filtered through ground packed with the roots of marsh reeds. Here micro-organisms break down the pollutants using the oxygen produced by the roots and the sun’s energy. This is a real alternative to the classic methods of water treatment, being both economical and ecological, though the system works best at the low pollution levels of domestic sewage. The cost of setting up this kind of system is the same as that involved in constructing a normal plant, but the great advantage is that the running costs are well below those of any other plant. And, of course, the benefits to the environment can be striking.
This is certainly a step into the future for Suraua. Four fields each of 0.2 hectares will soon be made available for the project, the cost of which should be around 1.3 million Swiss francs.
