Technology · Ecology & restoration / Bioremediation

Constructed wetlands & bioretention (stormwater)

Engineered wetland basins and bioretention cells that clean stormwater and wastewater with soil, plants and microbes — a nature-based alternative or complement to grey treatment, with more than 600 active treatment wetlands in the US.

Maturity 8/9 Risk: medium Clean-City Bio-Infrastructure Water US verified 2026-10-16 · 5 Sources

1 · What it gives

Constructed (treatment) wetlands are engineered basins with wetland soils and vegetation that mimic the processes that clean water in natural wetlands. Built for stormwater or wastewater, they are an alternative to — or a complement of — grey stormwater and sewage treatment, depending on location and design. They are widely used in the US: EPA guidance counts more than 600 active constructed treatment wetland projects, and bioretention is described as one of the most widely implemented green stormwater practices. Stormwater wetlands are widely applicable but limited in highly urbanised sites and arid climates.

2 · What it replaces 6

D1	Constructed (treatment) wetlands for villages, farms, small towns and stormwater — instead of chemical precipitation, chlorination of effluent, or discharge of untreated wastewater Replaces: Chlorination of small-plant effluents (chlorinated by-products), chemical phosphorus precipitation with iron/aluminium salts at small scale, …	SERV
D1	Acid mine drainage and metal-rich mine water treatment with passive biological systems — sulfate-reducing bioreactors, compost wetlands, aerobic wetlands — instead of perpetual lime dosing Replaces: Active chemical treatment with lime/caustic soda (high-volume metal hydroxide sludge, continuous chemical and energy use), or no treatment …	SERV
D1	Farm nitrate and phosphate runoff controlled by biology — denitrifying bioreactors, wetlands and algal uptake — instead of end-of-pipe chemical dosing Replaces: End-of-pipe chemical treatment of nutrient-rich drainage (ferric/alum P-stripping, ion exchange); untreated tile-drain nitrate; part of …	SERV
D2	Mosquito and blackfly control with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) and Lysinibacillus sphaericus larvicides, source reduction, and plant-based repellents — instead of organophosphate larvicides and pyrethroid space fogging Replaces: Temephos and other organophosphate larvicides (fenthion, chlorpyrifos, malathion), pyrethroid/OP ULV fogging (deltamethrin, cypermethrin, …	BIOCIDE
D1	Biochar made by clean pyrolysis of crop, forestry and processing residues — used as a soil amendment and sold as durable carbon removal — instead of open burning, dumping or landfilling of those residues Replaces: Open burning of straw, husks, shells and prunings; dumping and landfilling of processing residues; traditional earth-kiln charcoal making …	AGROCHEM
D1	Garden, allotment and lawn pest control with beneficial nematodes — Phasmarhabditis against slugs, Steinernema/Heterorhabditis against vine weevil, chafer grubs, leatherjackets — instead of metaldehyde pellets and soil insecticides Replaces: Metaldehyde slug pellets (banned outdoors in Great Britain from 2022), methiocarb pellets (EU non-renewed), soil insecticides in gardens and …	MACRO

3 · How to implement 5 steps

1
Site and basin
Excavate a level or gently sloped wetland basin sized to the stormwater or wastewater flow it must receive.
2
Substrate
Fill the basin with substrate that spreads flow, traps particles, anchors roots and hosts the microbial community.
3
Inlet and outlet
Install inlet and outlet structures that distribute influent evenly and control water level and outflow.
4
Vegetation
Transplant or seed wetland plants chosen for tolerance and pollutant removal.
5
Start-up
Introduce water first for plant growth, then raise the load of stormwater or pre-treated wastewater once plants are established.

4 · Who delivers

Matched suppliers (matched automatically)

Wetlands Construidos	Brazil	Services / consulting	active
MENA-Water	United Arab Emirates	Producer	active
Georem International	South Africa	Services / consulting	active
IETOS	Egypt	Services / consulting	active
Wakefield BioChar	United States	Producer	active
Agilix International Limited	Singapore	Not classified	active
Anaergia	Canada	Producer	active
Emvees Water \| Waste Water Treatment LLC	United Arab Emirates	Services / consulting	active
Green Water Revolution Pvt. Ltd.	India	Producer	active
INORA Biotech Pvt. Ltd.	India	Producer	active
Kazanci Environmental Technics / Kazancı Çevre Tekniği	Turkey	Services / consulting	active
OR Recycling Park	Israel	Services / consulting	active

Leading companies and institutes (from the brief)

The sources reviewed name public bodies rather than commercial operators — for example City of Phoenix and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for constructed-wetland demonstrations. Suppliers of design, planting and maintenance are listed under Water and Clean-City Bio-Infrastructure and matched by the portal.

5 · Rules & route to market

Route into Russia / EAEU: SERV · — (operator: Rosprirodnadzor, Rostechnadzor)
none for the service; operator permits (integrated environmental permit ~1 month)
Information, not legal advice — confirm the procedure for your product. (2026-10-06)

United States

EPA guidance explains that the Clean Water Act Section 402 / NPDES programme regulates discharges from point sources to US waters, and a stormwater discharge permit may be required for constructed wetlands above size thresholds. State rules add requirements: in New Jersey, standard constructed wetlands that do not meet the state green-infrastructure rules need a waiver or variance (N.J.A.C. 7:8-5.3).

European Union

The sources reviewed on 2026-10-16 identified no the EU regulator or standard specific to this technology. Treat the route as case-by-case and ask for a check.

China

The sources reviewed on 2026-10-16 identified no China regulator or standard specific to this technology. Treat the route as case-by-case and ask for a check.

6 · Money: tenders & grants

Grant	Advancing bio-printing of living cells for regenerative medicine European Commission · EU	Sep 22, 2027 341 days
Grant	Innovative biotechnologies to restore soil health and improve agricultural competitiveness and resilience European Commission · EU	Apr 8, 2027 174 days
Grant	Open topic: Using the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative to strengthen urban manufacturing in support of … European Commission · EU	Apr 8, 2027 174 days

7 · Tech stack & innovations

Main risks from the sources: thermal impact (stream warming) from stormwater wetlands, which needs a thermal analysis and mitigation where limits apply; outlet clogging and the maintenance needed to keep bioretention performing; and regulatory risk when a design departs from state green-infrastructure rules.

Sources 5

Nicholasinstitute.duke.edu — nicholasinstitute.duke.edu 2026-10-16
Epa.gov — www.epa.gov 2026-10-16
Nepis.epa.gov — nepis.epa.gov 2026-10-16
Epa.gov — www.epa.gov 2026-10-16
Dep.nj.gov — dep.nj.gov 2026-10-16