Kitezh and Orion Reedbed Project 2005/2006

The Wetlands Biological Sewerage treatment project at Kitezh Children’s Community and Orion is now completed.

On 31st March 2005 Ecologia Trust received a grant to build Reedbeds for biological waste water treatment at Kitezh and Orion under the auspices of Small Environmental Projects Scheme, Russia (SEPS-3). The Scheme is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and managed by the British Council. The project was completed in October 2006.

This project provides an innovative and ecological approach to the problem of how to deal with troublesome waste water that typically pollutes the surrounding countryside, rivers and streams. Now Kitezh and Orion village communities can demonstrate a clean, natural alternative to this eternal, difficult and unpleasant problem.

MANUAL for CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS IN KITEZH AND ORION.
In English
In Russian

1st site survey visit 5-14 May 2005 planning and measuring

Summer 2005 at Orion: digging, laying pipes, insulation, septic tanks, laying gravel

2nd site visit: 1-21 September 2005 at Kitezh: digging, measuring, laying septic tank

Drill pipes, insulate pipes, more digging, lay the geotextile protective cover, lay and level the gravel

TV coverage Education:painting a mural that explains how it works

3rd site visit 29th May – 5th June 2006 digging the plants, levelling the ground, planting the reeds

Testing the water in various ways

September 2006 Reedbeds at Kitezh and Orion are completed and operational

	Wastewater from the houses in Kitezh is cleaned through this wetland. The water comes from an underground well and is stored in the water tower. Water flows from the houses to the septic tank and then enters the wetland. The aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that live on the roots of the plants and on the gravel break down the nitrogen, suspended solids, and disease causing bacteria. The plants bring oxygen into the water and absorb pollutants.
	After this process is finished, the treated water that flows out of the wetland will not pollute the land, ground water or streams
	The average person living in Kitezh uses 150 litres of water per day. For 70 people, 10,500 litres have to be cleaned every day 25 million people die every year from water borne illnesses. It is important to clean our waste water so that we do not pollute our water supply or that of our neighbours downstream.
	Roots and gravel provide a home for helpful bacteria.

Reedbed Project Photosheet in pdf format

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