Home landscape design for treating household wastewater

Abstract

This qualitative research focused on designing suitable home landscapes for treating household wastewater and provides guidelines for designing household wastewater treatment systems tailored to the context of specific areas. A purposive sample was selected from two study sites. Data collection tools included a data collection form and unstructured interviews with homeowners. Secondary data were gathered from related research documents. The potential of each site was evaluated using simple weighted score equations, followed by content analysis and descriptive illustrations. The results of the site potential assessment indicated that the potential value for plot 1 was 3.43, while for plot 2, it was 3.27, both classified as medium potential levels. These sites reflect typical rural landscapes where household wastewater is naturally discharged. The design process considered four main factors and 22 indicators. Among these, indicators with the lowest average values in both areas were related to energy management (the presence of facilities to reduce waste, efficient energy use, or the utilization of natural energy). For plot 1, the average score was 11.67, and for plot 2, it was 6.67. Waste prevention and pollution control measures also showed low scores, with plot 1 scoring 11.67 and plot 2 scoring 8.33. Based on these results, two types of landscape designs for household wastewater treatment systems were proposed, customized to each area's context. The first type is a constructed wetland with water on the surface (Free Water Surface, FWS), combined with Bioretention Management Practices (BMP), referred to as FWS+BMP. This design is suitable for homes without an existing wastewater treatment system. The second type involves Infiltration, Filtration, and Recharge (IFR), combined with BMP (IFR+BMP), which is recommended for releasing treated water into the public drainage system, promoting both quality of life and environmental sustainability.