In this paper, the pollutant removal efficiency and the reliability of a vertical and horizontal flow hybrid constructed wetland (CW) planted with common reed, manna grass, and Virginia mallow were analyzed. The wastewater treatment plant, located in south-eastern Poland, treated domestic sewage at an average flow rate of 2.5 m3/d. The tests were carried out during five years of its operation (2014–2018). The following parameters were measured: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. The results showed that more than 95% of BOD5, COD, and total phosphorus was removed in the tested CW system. The average effectiveness of removal of total suspended solids and total nitrogen exceeded 86%. A reliability analysis performed using the Weibull probability model showed that the removal reliability in the tested CW was very high for BOD5, COD, total suspended solids, and total phosphorus (100%). The probability that the total nitrogen concentration in the treated effluents would reach the limit value (30 mg/L) established for effluents discharged from a treatment plant of less than 2000 PE (population equivalent) to standing waters was 94%. The values of all the pollution indicators in wastewater discharged to the receiver were significantly lower than the limit values required in Poland. The investigated hybrid CW system with common reed, manna grass, and Virginia mallow guaranteed stable low values of BOD5, COD, total suspended solids, and total phosphorus in the treated wastewater, which meant it was highly likely to be positively evaluated in case of an inspection.
The reliability of removal of selected contaminants in three technological solutions of the household sewage treatment plants was analysed in this paper. The reliability of the sewage treatment plant with activated sludge, sprinkled biological deposit and hybrid reactor (activated sludge and immersed trickling filter) was analyzed. The analysis was performed using the Weibull method for basic indicators of impurities, BOD5, COD and total suspended solids. The technological reliability of the active sludge treatment plant was 70% for BOD5, 87% for COD and 66% for total suspended solids. In the sewage treatment plant with a biological deposit, the reliability values determined were: 30% (BOD5), 60% (COD) and 67% (total suspended solids). In a treatment plant with a hybrid reactor, 30% of the BOD5and COD limit values were exceeded, while 30% of the total suspended solids were exceeded. The reliability levels are significantly lower than the acceptable levels proposed in the literature, which means that the wastewater discharged from the analysed wastewater treatment plants often exceeds the limit values of indicators specified in currently valid in Poland Regulation of the Minister of Environment for object to 2000 population equivalent.