In the context of the DesirMED project, a joint field visit was conducted on Friday, 25 October 2024, by the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) and the Municipality of Paggaio in the Moustheni and Messoropi communities to initiate pilot activities on constructed wetlands for urban wastewater treatment. Moustheni and Messoropi are two rural communities of Paggaio Municipality, and the constructed wetlands were designed for population equivalents of 835 and 1,135 persons.
The objective is to provide an environmentally friendly, cost-effective wastewater treatment alternative for rural communities. Moreover, this solution is expected to be replicated in other remote rural communities at local, regional, and national scales.
The visit, which underscores the longstanding strategic cooperation between DUTH and Paggaio Municipality, involved the participation of four members from the DUTH team and another four from the Paggaio municipality. The team engaged in detailed discussions with the subcontractor responsible for the construction of the constructed wetlands, focusing on their development and operation. An agreement was also reached on a comprehensive sampling program to ensure the efficacy and efficiency of these wetlands.
The constructed wetlands in Paggaio, which are expected to be completed in the first semester of 2025, have multiple potential uses. Besides their primary role in wastewater treatment and subsequent irrigation, they could also serve as water sources for firefighting. Moreover, DUTH will use these systems for environmental engineering research on system efficiency and pollutants’ removal and for educational purposes. Their functionality will be assessed to determine if the final pond of the CW can provide wastewater with properties significantly better than conventional wastewater treatment plants.
Other pilot applications, set to be implemented in Paggaio Municipality in the framework of DesirMED, include:
● Water Tanks for Firefighting
● Low Elevations, Plain
● Fire-Resistant Vegetation
● Agroforestry Fire Retardants
● Livestock and Grazing for Fire Management
These efforts demonstrate a commitment to leveraging nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience in the Mediterranean, paving the way for more sustainable and resilient communities.
