By Abbas Nazil
Australian scientists have revealed that floating wetlands could be a cost-effective and sustainable way to improve global water quality while supporting climate resilience.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have been studying how artificial floating wetlands can naturally filter pollutants from water systems.
In Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, environmental engineer Chris Walker and Professor Simon Beecham inspected a floating wetland that helps absorb nitrogen and phosphorus from garden waste runoff.
The system uses plastic pods filled with fast-growing reeds whose roots collect biofilm that traps and breaks down pollutants.
Walker explained that nature often outperforms engineering when it comes to water purification, noting that “no matter how hard you engineer something, nature filters everything much better.”
The wetlands are increasingly being deployed across the world, including in the United States, Canada, Pakistan, and Australia.
In Chicago, they are cleaning industrial waterways and creating new habitats for birds and aquatic life, while in Florida they are preventing pesticides from entering lagoons.
Beecham and Walker’s recent research shows these systems are not only effective but economically competitive with conventional engineering methods.
Dr. John Awad, lead author of the study, said floating wetlands mimic natural ecosystems by filtering pollutants through plant roots and microbial activity, but until now, little was known about their cost efficiency.
Their analysis of 11 floating wetlands worldwide revealed that larger systems tend to be cheaper per kilogram of pollutant removed.
The study also found that wetlands in warmer climates have longer growing seasons and higher purification rates.
According to the researchers, these nature-based systems could be particularly beneficial for low- and middle-income countries seeking affordable and low-energy solutions to manage water pollution and mitigate climate impacts.