Pioneering Sustainable Hydro-Systems in the Caribbean: Renewable Energy Approaches to Wastewater Reuse and Irrigation in the Caroni River Basin, Trinidad and Tobago

Authors

  • Michelle Shah Department of Water Resources Management and Infrastructure, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, GL7 6JS, England, United Kingdom
  • Kiran Tota-Maharaj Water, Wastewater & Environmental Engineering, The Water Research Centre (WRC Group), Frankland Road, Blagrove, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 8YF, England, United Kingdom
  • Hazi Azamathulla Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, 331310, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24191/bej.v23i1.8230

Keywords:

Wastewater Reuse, Geotextile Membrane, Constructed Wetland, Solar Power, Drip Irrigation, Biofilter

Abstract

This study employs a mixed-methods research design to investigate effective approaches for quantifying the removal efficiencies of key water quality parameters (e.g., BOD-5, COD, TSS, NH4-N, PO4¯³, E. coli) by varying geotextile membrane types and bio-filter media compositions within experimental rigs. The filter performance of the Biochar, Coated Chitosan on Coconut Shell Activated Carbon (CAC), Gravel and Sharp sand profile will be compared when treating reclaimed water (RW), conventional irrigation water (CW), and secondary effluent (SW) from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), using a Wastewater Reuse Prototype (WWR) to assess improvements in treatment performance, increased water supply, and reduced pollution from three (3) sources. This study will demonstrate how Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands, planted with Phragmite Australis plant species, can be used for the treatment of municipal wastewater. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the system’s efficiency in removing pollutants and facilitating nitrification. The previous research at the Guanapo Landfill Project Site demonstrated that specialised plants can slow down water to allow solids to settle, convert contaminants into less harmful substances and support microorganisms that filter and purify water. The treatment resulted in an environmentally acceptable effluent quality. The study will demonstrate how Solar Powered Automated Drip Irrigation (SPDI) system using a pump and solar panels for drip irrigation of Lettuce and Kale, can be used to quantify the water savings, energy consumption (kWh/day), and crop yield (e.g., biomass, marketable yield, water use efficiency) achieved by efficient irrigation. This research will assess Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices (KAP), and Willingness to Pay (WTP) to inform national standards for wastewater reuse. The study will explore the Water-Energy-Food nexus, focusing on the links between crop production risks, renewable energy, and the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture. The final assessments will demonstrate that this innovative approach uses suitable technologies for safe water reclamation in agriculture, promoting environmentally safe and sustainable practices in the Caribbean.

Author Biographies

  • Michelle Shah, Department of Water Resources Management and Infrastructure, Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, GL7 6JS, England, United Kingdom

    Michelle Shah, Ph.D. Candidate at the Royal Agricultural University, United Kingdom, ZIP/Postal Code: GL7 6JS. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate, PG Cert in Research/ Research Methods from the University of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. She has an M.Sc. Degree in Water and Wastewater Services Management and a B.Sc. Degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Her main area of research is Sustainable Hydro-Systems, Renewable Energy Approaches for Wastewater Reuse, Constructed Wetland Systems and Solar Powered Drip Irrigation in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. She can be reached through email at Michelle.Shah@student.rau.ac.uk

  • Kiran Tota-Maharaj, Water, Wastewater & Environmental Engineering, The Water Research Centre (WRC Group), Frankland Road, Blagrove, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 8YF, England, United Kingdom

    Professor Kiran Tota-Maharaj, B.Sc (Eng) (West Indies), M.Sc. (Newcastle), Ph.D. (Edinburgh), PGCert (Salford), CEng, FICE, MIMechE, MIET, FIoW, REng (TT), FHEA, M. ASCE, MIAHR., a distinguished academic, leading research in Water Resources Management and Infrastructure. Affiliated with the Royal Agricultural University, United Kingdom, ZIP/Postal Code: GL7 6JS, and Water Research Centre (WRc). His expertise drives innovative solutions for sustainable Water Management and Renewable Energy within a Circular Economy. His scholarly activities include innovative and novel solutions for managing water resources, advancement of urban/sub-urban water systems, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), Nature-Based solutions (NbS) and blue/green-infrastructure. He can be reached through email at kiran.tota-maharaj@rau.ac.uk

  • Hazi Azamathulla, Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, 331310, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

    Professor Hazi Azamathulla is a distinguished academic and affiliated with the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, ZIP/Postal Code: 331310. He has a B.Sc. Degree in Civil Engineering, M.Sc. Degree in Water Resources, and Ph.D. Degree in Hydraulic Engineering. His research expertise is in the fields of physical Hydraulic Model Studies and Hydro-informatics. He is a Member of the Editorial Board of several high-ranked Journals: Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering – ASCE (2009-13), and Dam Engineering Journal. He served as Associate Editor of the Journal of Hydrology (Elsevier).He can be reached through email at hazi.azamathulla@sta.uwi.edu

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Published

01-01-2026

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026): Built Environment Journal

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Copyright (c) 2026 Michelle Shah, Kiran Tota-Maharaj, Hazi Azamathulla

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How to Cite

Pioneering Sustainable Hydro-Systems in the Caribbean: Renewable Energy Approaches to Wastewater Reuse and Irrigation in the Caroni River Basin, Trinidad and Tobago. (2026). Built Environment Journal, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.24191/bej.v23i1.8230

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