Results

Although it is uncommon to start a report by giving the end results, we felt that this was the best place to insert the data gathered to date, hopefully to encourage others to follow our lead.   

We conducted our first water sampling on the 30 November 2006, still very early in the maturation of the wetland system. We only looked at four indicators: zinc, copper nitrogen and fecal coliform bacteria. These tests were carried out at the Angostura Environmental Laboratory and at the Water and Sewage Authority (WASA). The results were very encouraging. Samples were taken at the start of the main drain upstream of the development and at the storm water outlet at the very end of the wetland system. The findings were:

The level of zinc was reduced by 40%, the level of copper reduced by 75%, the level of nitrogen reduced by 67%, fecal coliform reduced by 91%, and the five day fecal coliform reduced by 62%.

The significant thing about these results is that the wetland is not yet fully established. Further tests will measure exactly where the reductions are being made. By the end of 2007 we will also be testing for levels of phosphates, lead, BOD, dissolved solids and much more.

The other key and perhaps equally important result is that the additional cost was fully recovered in higher real estate values, well in excess of the forecast.