Abstract:

Rural wastewater in China is characterized by high dispersion, significant fluctuations in flow volume, inconsistent water quality, and weak operation and maintenance capabilities. Traditional centralized treatment processes commonly face the dilemma of being “affordable to build, unaffordable to operate, and difficult to manage”. To address this current challenge, this paper proposes an approach combining “ecological methods with resource reclamation”. Ecological treatment technologies rely on a soil-plant-microorganism synergistic purification system and offer advantages, such as low investment, low energy consumption, ease of operation and maintenance, and the potential for resource reclamation. This paper systematically reviews the characteristics of rural domestic wastewater in terms of water quality and quantity, as well as the current state of treatment. It focuses on the purification mechanisms and research progress of constructed wetlands, stabilization ponds, land treatment systems, and ecological ditches. It summarizes typical combined processes of “pre-treatment + ecological units” and outlines resource reclamation models. The results indicate that the deep integration of ecological methods with resource reclamation can significantly reduce construction and operational costs. Although bottlenecks such as low efficiency at low temperatures, substrate clogging, inadequate operation and maintenance, and misalignment of standards still exist, numerous studies have begun to address these challenges. In conclusion, the deep integration of ecological treatment with resource reclamation is the core pathway to resolve the challenges of rural wastewater treatment and can provide theoretical guidance and technical support for rural water environment management in China. Future efforts should focus on promoting low-carbon enhancement, smart operation and maintenance, regional adaptation, and standard refinement to establish a rural wastewater treatment pathway that is “low-cost, easy to manage, and sustainable”.

Key words: ecological treatment, rural domestic wastewater, wastewater reclamation, carbon footprint