Evaluación y propuesta de un sistema de tratamiento de efluentes cloacales aplicable al refugio San Martín

Abstract

Nahuel Huapi National Park, located in the northwest of the argentinean andean Patagonia, has a system of mountain refuges, constituted by natural and cultural heritage assets of high intangible and landscape value. This system takes place in an environmentally fragile site, given its association to high-altitude streams and lagoons or to glaciers and streams, which were designed to serve a specific amount of visitors. San Martín mountain refuge, located in the proximity of Bariloche, has shown a marked increase in the number of visitors in recent years, following the tendency previously mentioned. Therefore, several field researches were carried out, where the sewage treatment system from the San Martín mountain refuge’s external restrooms were diagnosed. Through one of the field researches, it was determined that the effluents, once treated, are being discharged into a high-altitude wetland. It is important to note that, due to the saturation of the system, the wastewater has a highly deficient, reatment, negatively impacting the high-altitude wetland. These environments develop under rigorous environmental conditions, remaining covered by snow several months and exposed to low temperatures most of the year. All these factors decrease the speed of their recovery process. An analysis of several conventional and non-conventional technologies of treatment systems applicable to the site was carried out, taking into consideration field trips to several mountain refuges in the area, as well as interviews and a bibliographical analysis. The different technologies were analysed taking into account social, economic and environmental aspects, dimensioning several treatment systems and projecting the design for 10 years of use. It was determined, as a conclusion of this study, that the implementation of the wastewater treatment system known as dry toilet allows to reduce significantly the environmental risk, due to its high efficiency under extreme climatic conditions and the elimination of the effluent discharge to the environment. This technology is strongly recommended for the area of study, given that it is eco-friendly, easy to apply and maintain, and it adapts well to the mountain environment.