Constructed wetlands with mining pond integration and paddy field geometry: A regional sewage treatment plant case study

Discharge from sewage treatment plants can deteriorate river water quality due to improper management or insufficient levels of treatment. To address these challenges, constructed wetland systems (CWSs) have been widely used as a sustainable and effective solution for wastewater management. This study provides an overview of the conceptual design for a CWS to treat the discharge from the Papan Regional Sewage Treatment Plant (RSTP). The design influent for the CWS was determined, and the proposed sizing was based on simulation results to achieve the targeted concentrations consistent with Water Quality Index (WQI) Class II. The MUSIC‐X software was used in this study to simulate pollutant removal performance, hydraulic behavior, and effluent quality under various flow conditions. The model was set up using site‐specific inflow parameters, targeted effluent concentrations, and wetland configuration inputs, including surface area, depth, vegetation zones, and retention times. This study introduces an innovative approach by adopting the paddy field concept as the geometrical design of a multi‐cell CWS, covering a total surface area of 1,250,000 m 2 and divided into two sections (Wetland 1 and Wetland 2), with different planting plots separated by a gabion wall. The innovation lies in reimagining abandoned mining ponds as functional wetland zones, while using a paddy field‐inspired grid layout to enhance hydraulic control, pollutant removal, and land efficiency. This approach transforms degraded land into an eco‐engineered, cost‐effective, and scalable wastewater treatment system—a novel model for tropical developing regions.