Wastewater Garden

April 2004 was one of the driest seasons at Las Casas de la Selva, which proved to be very fortunate for an exciting and busy session with the construction of a Wastewater Garden at the homestead. The team that gathered to complete this project in 15 days were:

Dr. Mark Nelson, Chairman of the Institute of Ecotechnics
Mark ‘Laser’ Van Thillo, Chief Operations Officer of Biosphere Foundation
Abigail Alling, President of the Biosphere Foundation
Gessie Houghton, Special Projects Director
Robert Townsend, Special Projects
Gregg Dugan, Gardens/Nursery
Chris ‘Dolphin’ Cook
Gilberto ‘Tingo’
Carmelo Torre
Javier Rojas
Sally Silverstone
3t Vakil

Building the Wastewater Garden in 15 days

Digging the pit
Putting in the liner
Plumbing the system, and securing the liner

Wastewater Gardens® were developed by Dr. Mark Nelson, Chairman of the Institute of Ecotechnics and head of Wastewater Gardens International working with the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation. The Center for Wetlands at the University of Florida and the Institute of Ecotechnics. The system was originally developed as part of the pioneering Biosphere 2 closed ecological system in Arizona. The system uses the technology of subsurface flow constructed wetlands so that there is never any exposed wastewater – thus preventing odor and accidental human contact.

Wastewater Gardens are an ecological, low cost, low maintenance solution to the problem of human waste. Improperly treated sewage causes ecological damage, pollutes drinking water supplies, and is literally a waste of potentially valuable freshwater enriched with nutrients in a world increasingly short of water resources. Using no mechanical or moving parts and no chemicals, all wastewater is recycled via a gravity system into elegant, biologically diverse gardens that produce lovely flowers as well as fruit and vegetables that can be eaten by humans, fodder crops for animal consumption or fuelwood and fiber. The systems are carefully sealed so no wastewater contaminates the soil, ground water, rivers, lakes, or coastal waters.

How many wheelbarrows of gravel was that?
Having placed the larger rocks, planting begins
Wastewater Garden just after initial planting
April 2004 The system at Las Casas is an ecological necessity and a great enhancement of the homestead, and the pictures above show the garden just recently planted with flowers, fruits, and ferns.

For more information on Wastewater Gardens see the website
Big Thanks to:
Zabel Corporation, and Brian Borders for parts and filters for the Wastewater Garden.
Firestone Corporation, and Marco Seiber for the donation of the liner for the Wastewater Garden and with all the help in getting it to us on time.

This Waste Water garden was built with a Grant from the Departamento de Recursos Naturales Y Ambientales Puerto Rico.
Gracious thanks to all those who made it possible.